That is why it is so precious. It's of us - two friends who have made time for each other. The table smells sweet, and the air smells of summer, now gone. There is that feeling of familiarity between us that only those who have found someone in their life who makes them feel that way understand. As I look at this photograph, I am reminded of how little it sometimes takes to feel happy. Just a moment of peace, a few warm words and a person who understands you without explanation.
I have known Lidija Matul since she was a little girl. More precisely - she knows me. We met in the days when haircuts were short and laughter was sincere. When the world didn't know all the demands, expectations and deadlines. I sometimes joke that she has known me since I was cut at an extremely short braid with frufru at an early age and looked more like a boy than a girl. I often jokingly say that the shape of my haircut was like being put on my head. rajnglo and cut the hair around it. Lidija always smiles - in a way that heals and with a warmth you rarely see in today's world. Her laughter seems to bring a part of that childlike light-heartedness that we too often lose as adults.
Lidija is a special person. She has the rare gift of seeing beauty where others overlook it. She uses her hands to design sustainable wooden jewellery - small miracles from nature that carry a message of balance. Each piece of jewellery is a story of its own, a breath of authentic nature and a reflection of her character, which is peaceful, creative and connected to nature. When she creates, it is as if she wants to say to the world: "Stop. Breathe. Be here." And that's exactly what we did that day - we stopped.
There were desserts on the table - those pleasant little indulgences that most people associate with luxury, but we experienced them in a different way. Not as a luxury, but as a memory of a moment that smacks of friendship. We took the time to talk to them - without phones, without rushing and without the masks that most people like to wear. Just the two of us and a simple moment of life. With every word, time slowed down. There was nothing more important than that silence, laced with sincerity.
On her dark shirt pocket is a small red heart. Maybe a coincidence, although I don't believe in them. For me, it is a symbol. It is the heart that Lidija carries with her; not just as a brooch on her clothes, but as part of her essence. She is a person who knows how to listen, who knows how to be there when she needs to be, and who does not judge. Her energy always calms me down. It is that quiet, gentle power that reminds you that happiness is not in how much you achieve, but in how much you can (feel). That you don't always have to rush and you don't always have to (do) more, but it is enough to stay true to yourself.
We have gone through many chapters - (my) childhood, youth, changes, distances - but something keeps pulling us back together. Perhaps it is the moderation, mutual respect and realism that characterise our relationship.
We share the feeling that life is beautiful when you live it with gratitude. That the most beautiful moments are the ones you don't plan. That friendship is not a given, but a gift to be cherished. Friendship is when you know that you can just be with someone - without the need to explain, without the need to pretend. Just you.
When I look at this photo today, taken in the summer, I see more than just a table with a dessert and a drink. I see a memory. Of peace, of conversation, of laughter. Two women who made time for each other - and it is the latter that really counts the most.
Just as our Andrej Šifrer has been singing for years, we must (be able to) make time for our friends.
Zala Krupljan, 5. 9. 2025
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