I myself have the privilege of having quite a few friends in my inner circle who have been in my life for 20 years or more. Although this circle is not particularly large, it is all the more precious for that. Each of my friends brings with him or her a story and qualities that shape me and my life, and each adds a pebble to our mosaic of friendship. Each one paints my life in the most beautiful colours that sparkle with love and connection.
I remember a European volunteering project I took part in a few years ago. It was organised by an acquaintance, once a friend, and although I was never really a keen hiker, and the project was specifically about hiking, I decided to join in. Word got around and in the end my two best friends joined the project, which made it even more fun.
The first evening was a lot of fun. I met a bunch of new people, including individuals from Hungary and Estonia. But most of all, I connected with some people who I saw in a slightly different light at that time. But fate obviously had its own plans, which did not include my hillwalking, and the very next day I took a nasty fall during one of the activities; one of those hillwalkers collapsed underneath me. firefighters Benches. Just an inch or less and I would no longer be here to share this beautiful story with you. For there was a larger stone lying there and the bruised body, the severe concussion and the fractured skull that I suffered at that moment were probably low price for what might otherwise have happened.
The moment I fell and lost consciousness for a minute or so, both my friends came running to me. One half in tears, compassionate and emotional, the other sensible and practical. While one comforted and soothed me, the other picked me up from the ground and immediately tied the tracksuit she was wearing around my waist, as I had torn my trousers and underpants when I fell on my backside. She then took me to the hut where we were sleeping.
She gave them all tasks to do. She prepared poultices and handed them to another, more sensitive friend. She checked that everyone had taken care of me as she had instructed and went about her business; soberly and practically - her own way. The other friend lay down in bed with me, caressed me, comforted me and put compresses on my face and body. She took care of me and spent practically the whole day by my side. Full of emotion, warmth and love, which are so intrinsic to her, she made me feel better.
Two women, two completely different reactions, but I needed them both at that moment, damn it. Without them, this event would probably have been much more tragic and with greater consequences. I will always be grateful to them for everything they did for me, but they also gave me an insight into how different we are as human beings.
We each have our own defining characteristics, and even if they are contradictory, they are all important. Only together, with all our qualities - sobriety and rationality, practicality and rigor, compassion and warmth, tenderness and affection, passion and romance - can we create a beautiful world made of myriad colours and shades. Only in this way can we be complete. Only in this way can we be happy. Only in this way can we be all that we want and can be.
Maja Horvat, 16 Sep 2025
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