At that moment, someone appears beside you, offering a hand, a shoulder, a kind word or action as proof of the connection between people. With such help, we not only build relationships but also create memories that stay with us for a lifetime. I myself remember one such event.
On the steep path behind our garden, a new house was being built, made of brick, concrete, and expectations. My cousin Branka came to the construction site every day as the guardian of her new home. It seemed as though the call of duty beckoned her there. She brought food and drink to the workers and chatted with them, despite having a small child with her. Her presence was like a warm breeze, bringing a sense of home amidst the noise of machinery and the smell of cement. Her hands were capable of doing many things, and her heart was ready to help.
On that afternoon, which has been forever etched in my memory, it was calm and sunny. I was riding an adult bicycle, which was a bit too big for my frail, delicate body. A moment of inattention was enough for me to slip off it. The pedal cut deeply into my thigh like a sharp blade. Blood spurted, the pain surprised me, and I couldn't get rid of the fear.
Mum ran out of the house. I only heard her frightened voice. She called her cousin. Luckily, she was just at the construction site and came running as if she had wings. She was covered in dust from her work, but with determination in her eyes, she drowned out all doubts. The car wasn't at home, Dad was at work, so Branka was the only one who could help me, even though she herself didn't have a driving licence.
Branka picked me up without a word, lifting me into her arms as if I were made of feathers, not flesh and fear. Without hesitation, she carried me in her arms towards the ambulance, which was half a kilometre away. Her arms were strong, and her stride was fast and determined. Along the way, she soothed me with quiet words that were softer than the pain throbbing in my leg. I was half dazed, but her voice kept me going.
The doctor stitched up the wound, and I squeezed Branka’s hand as tightly as if it were the only thing I could hold onto. Today, looking at the scar, I no longer notice the stitches, but I remember the selfless act of my cousin. In my mind, she is the cousin who carried me that day as if she were carrying the whole world. With that act, she showed how powerful help is, measured not by the strength of one's arms, but by the breadth of one's heart..
Mutual assistance is not just a value we learn about in school and read about in books. It is a value that we live through actions in relationships, in moments when we decide to be a light for each other.
Bernarda Jenko, 11 March 2026
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