Photo by Dorin Seremet
Grisha’s Loop by Marsha Samoylenko Denison tells her father’s life story after finding his own writings packed in a box after her parents’ passing. And in publishing them, she introduced the world to the gripping tale of another soldier of early 20th-century Russia.
It shares his experience of war and revolution, followed by exile and a rebuilt life in America. Each chapter invites us to reflect on the idea of a lion’s heart, the rare combination of strength and endurance to face overwhelming odds. In writing about family memories, the book inspires the values of resilience and courage.
The Weight of War and the Strength to Carry It
Photo by Valentin Lacoste
Today, on the internet, there is a popular saying that “War never changes.”
That rings true in the lingering effects it has on soldiers, whether they’re in the trenches of World War I or on the battlefields of today.
Gregory Samoylenko’s story vividly demonstrates how a man’s path towards education and his dreams of the future are all thrown into the proverbial loop by the Russian Revolution (as well as its resulting civil war).
His personal journey is one shared with the countless soldiers whose lives were radically disrupted by the boiling over of frustrations with the tsar, the fiery call to revolution, and the patriotic duty to the Motherland.
Surviving such upheaval requires a lion’s heart. And for Grisha, this kind of courage went beyond following dangerous orders. Survival meant confronting hunger, fear, and displacement.
It meant facing combat challenges and the endless waves of violence from within and without. Grisha, like so many others, had to find ways to remain human in the midst of chaos. Many (including him) would have endured nights of fitful sleep, traumatic dreams, and post-traumatic triggers. Such resilience is obviously beyond physical. It demands a courageous spirit, a commitment to carrying one’s dignity even when everything else has been stripped away.
The courage of surviving soldiers often looks quiet from the outside. It is found in the choice to push forward when turning back is easier. It shows itself in holding on to faith, to family, and to the possibility of a better future. This is what makes their strength remarkable: they persist even when hope seems dim. Such persistence is the mark of a lion’s heart.
Lessons from a Lion’s Heart
Gregory Samoylenko’s life, preserved through his daughter’s retelling, reveals the patterns of resilience that soldiers across time have needed. First, they learn to adapt. Gregory’s studies in Petrograd turned into training as a naval aviator, and later into service in the White Army. Adaptation was not a choice; it was the only path forward.
Second, they endure loss. Soldiers lose comrades, homes, and sometimes entire countries. Gregory’s exile from Russia captures this reality vividly. With little more than a mandolin and a few dollars, he began anew in America. For many veterans, that rebuilding is the hardest battle of all.
Third, they carry memory. Denison’s act of preserving her father’s writings shows us how memory keeps alive the lessons from surviving all the suffering. Every soldier carries within them their own testimony, whether or not it is ever written down. Remembering is part of the burden, but it is also part of the healing.
Such lessons remind us that the bravery of soldiers is not confined to the battlefield.
They are still mustering the courage to face their own memories in the quiet years that follow. The process of healing, building, and self-forgiveness all result in a weary march of daily tasks. To face these challenges still requires a lion’s heart, for resilience is not a single act but a lifelong commitment.
Finding The Same Courage in Modern Times
Today, the phrase a lion’s heart resonates not just with soldiers of the past but with anyone enduring hardship. Veterans returning from combat, refugees displaced from their homes, and families rebuilding after loss all draw on the same well of courage.
It is a universal quality that cuts across cultures and eras.
And if you look at the many examples of people striving to stay courageous amid so much societal disruption and international conflict, you can certainly bet that there will at least be some brave enough to write their own stories down.
There are also other examples of this courage in modern soldiers who balance a brave demeanor in uniform with the quiet struggles of civilian life. We can see it in the fearless attitude of those who refuse to let trauma define them, and in the heart of a hero that beats not only in battle but in moments of kindness, leadership, and sacrifice.
Each of these qualities reflects the unwavering bravery that allows men and women to survive hardship and rebuild futures. Many, like Gregory, may very well be on their way to doing so with but a small, yet dedicated trunk full of memories.
In reflecting on Gregory Samoylenko’s life, readers are invited to consider how courage is not only an individual trait but a legacy passed forward. Denison’s effort ensures that her father’s courage continues to inspire. It is a way of bringing together another story from the past with a message about staying resilient even as one wanders across distant, unfamiliar vistas. It reminds us that the measure of resilience is not found in what is lost, but in what is carried forward.
Passing On the Old Soldier’s Bravery
A lion’s heart is not born in a single moment of glory. It is forged in the small, relentless choices to keep moving, to keep hoping, and to keep fighting for life despite everything that threatens it. Gregory Samoylenko’s story, shared by his daughter Marsha Samoylenko Denison in Grisha’s Loop, stands as a testament to that truth. It is a story that echoes in the lives of all soldiers who have endured war and all people who have faced seemingly impossible odds.
By remembering and sharing these stories, we honor more than history—we honor courage itself. And in doing so, we may discover the traces of a lion’s heart within ourselves.
If you know someone interested in bringing together the stories of brave, old soldiers, tell them they can find Grisha’s Loop on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
