SLOVENIA'S 5 CORE VALUES

When it snows, the village transforms into a snow paradise - white slopes spread across the surrounding hills, which glisten in the silver reflection of the moonlight in the winter twilight. The streets are quiet, almost mysterious, with only the occasional footstep in the snow to break the peace. The houses with their chimneys smoking look like something out of a fairy tale, and every corner invites you to stop, to feel both the cold and the warmth of this small world.. 

A few days ago, Klavdija Tomasin shared a story with me that touched my heart ... 

It was snowing so hard that the road turned into a white desert. I drove slowly, carefully, as snowflakes danced a wild dance and the wind howled through the trees. The dusk was descending fast, the light from the street lamps only faintly piercing the white blanket that covered everything around me. Suddenly, the wheels started spinning, the car skidded and got stuck in the middle of a snowstorm. I tried to drive off, but each time the tyres just sank deeper into the snow. Panic was slowly taking over, my fingers were trembling on the steering wheel, tears of frustration were welling up in my eyes. I was trapped, alone, in the cold night.

When I was about to give up, I saw a familiar figure in the distance. Marko, my neighbour, was striding resolutely towards me, hood on his head and shovel in his hands. His face was illuminated by the dim light of the car headlights, but even through the snow, I could see his friendly smile.

"Are you stuck?" he asked in a warm voice, as if it wasn't freezing outside, cutting to the bone. I nodded wordlessly, too surprised and grateful at the same time. Without hesitation, he knelt down in the snow and started shovelling the snow around the wheels. His hands were frozen, but they moved quickly and decisively, as if they had dealt with such situations countless times before.

The wind offered nothing but coldness, which was eating away at my skin, but I felt an incredible warmth in my heart. Every swing of the shovel, every smile, every encouraging word he spoke warmed me more than any coat. After a few failed attempts, a moment of relief finally came - the car slipped out of the snow's grip. I could hardly believe it, tears of gratitude blurred my vision.

I rushed into his arms, ignoring the cold and the wet clothes. "I don't know what I would have done without you," I whispered in a shaky voice. Marko just smiled modestly and replied, "Today I helped you, tomorrow maybe you will help someone else. That's how it goes. Help always finds a way forward."

That evening I realised that it doesn't matter how much help you need - sometimes the presence of someone who doesn't leave you alone in difficult moments is enough. And my neighbour's gesture warmed not only my frozen fingers, but also my heart.

Zala Krupljan, 9. 2. 2025