SLOVENIA'S 5 CORE VALUES

Roza, called Zinka by many, and Rajko, her life partner, decided to make a home for themselves. Not big, not luxurious, but warm and full of love.

From a young age, they were used to modesty. They did not have much, but they had heart and an unwavering will. They carefully saved every coin, put every wish aside, because the goal was clear - a house in which to raise their two children.

There was no money. Sometimes it seemed that dreams were easier to dream than to realise. But where there is a will, there is a way. Zinka had siblings who helped build her future home. It was not difficult for her brothers to get to work - with their own blister-covered hands, they lifted walls, mixed concrete and carried bricks. Every stone they laid was an expression of their love and support. And her sisters made sure that no one went hungry. They cooked on old stoves, kneaded bread, prepared stews and served the hard-working team with a smile. Their help was invaluable - without them, the journey home would have been even more difficult.

The couple were simple people, hard-working and persevering. They gave everything to this house, every stone, every board, every nail bore their toil and sacrifice. In fact, the sacrifice of everyone in the team. When they sat down on the doorstep in the evening, tired but happy, they knew that one day this house would be more than just walls. It will be their home, their treasure, their inheritance.

And so it was. They spent almost 68 years there. There were many "sunny" days, when children's laughter and songs of life echoed through the house. There were memories of their children's first steps, of nights spent by the kerosene lamp sewing, mending clothes and warming themselves by the fire with stories of the past. There are also vivid memories of summer evenings sitting outside the house with neighbours, sharing humble meals and joy, of the smell of freshly baked bread that filled the home and hearts....

There have also been "stormy" days when worries and hard times have knocked on the door. Times when wallets were left empty, when it was necessary to think how to survive on little. But they never lost hope. Together they overcame every obstacle, leaned on each other, gave each other strength and love. When ever they quarrelled, they always made up in the evening. Rajko hugged Roza and told her, "No matter what, you are my home."

The house became a witness to their love, their tears, their laughter and the countless stories that were written in every stone, in every corner.

As they got older, their legs made it harder to carry their bodies, but their hands were always ready for work. Rajko was still fixing what was broken, while Roza kept the home tidy and warm. Their children grew up, went their separate ways, but always came back to the house where their best memories were.

When they said goodbye and went among the angels, their home remained - full of memories, the smell of their presence and a warmth that even time cannot erase. Their story lives on, in everyone who enters this house, in everyone who feels it, in everyone who knows what it means to create something with heart.

The only measurable wealth in life should be in the people who stand by you when it's hardest. Roza and Rajko knew this. Their brothers and sisters helped them with their hands and hearts, not out of duty but out of love. "When we build together, we build more than a house - we build a home," they told each other. And this home, interwoven with toil, grit and warmth, will always be a testimony to the strength of family togetherness. So their love, their effort and their story have not disappeared. They remain. As an eternal reminder that the most precious legacy is the one woven from love, perseverance and the selfless help of fellow human beings.

Zala Krupljan, 5. 3. 2025