It turned out that my doubts were unnecessary. They all welcomed me nicely, but Nevenka Kosič, the payroll manager of the then Transport Ilirska Bistrica, surprised me. Unfortunately, she is no longer with us, but she left a trace in our collective that cannot be erased.
Her kindness was not learned and only a courtesy. It was genuine, almost unbelievable. I felt her as a person immediately, before I could even meet her. Later, I became convinced that she was like that towards everyone. She was a person who knew how to see others, their needs, their hardships and their little joys.
She has always made time for her colleagues. She helped them write child benefit forms, explained procedures and helped with paperwork that others found complicated and stressful. She never complained and never made them feel that she was in charge of anything. It was as if her mission was to do good - simply, quietly, every day, again, anywhere, anytime, for anyone.
But what touched me most was her tiny, almost invisible gesture, which I will never forget. One day, Nevenka was carrying a single biscuit - a long napolitan. It was nothing special, but it was that biscuit that became a symbol of belonging. She could have eaten it herself - quickly, discreetly and casually, but she didn't. She broke it into several pieces and offered a piece to each of her colleagues. Some of us immediately smiled and accepted it, while others started to make excuses saying, »No, thank you, I won't eat anything sweet now.«
But she persisted and said with humour: »There is enough biscuit for everyone - for those who love it and for those who give it up. Let each of you have a piece, even if it is just to look at.« And before any of us could say anything, we each had a piece in our hands.
I was surprised, touched and almost confused, because I had not expected such selflessness in our women's collective, nor could I have imagined it. And she was beaming with happiness, as if she had done something great. She did - she did something great for us, even if it was just a small piece of the biscuit.
That's how she was: simple, good, dedicated. Her selflessness showed that she belonged to the collective. Not because she has to, but because she wants to be part of something bigger than herself. It was then that I realised that belonging is not something that is demanded or expected, but something that is built, created and lived.
Nevenka is no longer with us today, but her spirit of belonging is still felt. It remains in our memories, in the stories we tell each other and in the sense of belonging she was able to create. She was proof that one person's actions can change the atmosphere of a whole team and that belonging is a value that we pass on. And for that I will be eternally grateful.
Bernarda Jenko, 12. 1. 2026
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