I know that this is not the usual time to visit, but due to special circumstances I decided to visit my friend Jože Boštjančič.
Jože taught me the basics of willow weaving. He is a craftsman who has presented his work all over Slovenia and was awarded the product quality label for his braided bottle, which was exhibited at the International Fair of Handicrafts in Slovenj Gradec in 1990. I am a paper flower maker, so I have always found a willow braid product useful when making arrangements.
Tonca was very happy to see me. She complained that Jože was in worse condition every day and that she was not in good shape either. »Ah, the story of the knitting is over,« she replied to my question if her husband was still knitting. She added that she could hardly breathe. Years of asthma had weakened him.
She told me that she also goes to bed shortly after 8 o'clock and gets up around 10. Their barn, which has been home mainly to chickens for the last few years, also has swallow nests. Since they return to the nest just before dark and the hens go to bed much earlier, Tonca closes the door only when she is sure that the guests have returned. She closes the house to prevent any unwanted nocturnal visit from the fox.
She said that many people tell her that she is stupid for getting up because of the swallows, but she tells them that the birds deserve a safe home after flying such a long way from the southern parts of the country to Brci. »It only takes a good three months,« she concludes. She mentioned that it is a great pleasure for her to observe the swallows and their life dynamics. She added that it is hard to say goodbye to them in autumn, but she is grateful every time they return.
This small act of kindness and compassion enlivens the world. The farm swallow is dying out. When Tonca shares this story with her friends, without boasting, she leaves no one indifferent. For me, this story has convinced me that there are many people in the world who don't even realise how important the good work they do is. They don't immortalise them in photos on social media or write about them, but they find their way to people.
The most important part of our lives is the small acts of kindness and love that we do to enrich the world.
Jerica Strle
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