It was her hands that moved the stiff, tired fingers of the elderly - preserving the dignity of those who had almost lost it. She was the one who brought hope into homes with a warm smile and immense patience.
But Petra didn't just help at work. Volunteering was her second "home". She taught children how to change the world through small acts, how to cultivate the art of living and how to take care of others and themselves. She organised workshops, led groups, wrote projects - always in motion, always in the service of something "bigger".
Then came December. And with it, silence.
First she woke up with a pain in her head, then with an unbearable feeling of helplessness. Her hand disobeyed her. When she tried to speak, the words were like a tangled cord that refused to unwind. The stroke had torn her away from the world she had built with every breath, every movement and every thought.
She was depressed. She had lost something that meant everything to her - the ability to give. In her hospital bed, she looked out of the window and wished she could go back. She wished she could run workshops again, explain to children how to make something with their hands, show an elderly gentleman how to grip a glass more easily ...
But her own hands were weak, her own voice was quiet.
The days passed in slow learning. How to hold a spoon. How to form thoughts into sentences. How to accept help. And how to be okay with that.
For the first time in her life, she had to accept that she cannot do everything. That she needs others too. That help is not just something you give, but something you have to know how to receive.
Moderation.
A word that had previously seemed alien to her was now "forging" a new path for her. Slowly, step by step, she discovered that it was okay to say "no" sometimes. That you don't always have to "lead" - sometimes it's enough to just be. That the peace you carry inside can bring as much warmth as your actions.
Today, Petra returns. Slowly. She is no longer the one who "rages" from one commitment to another. She is learning that she does not have to do everything herself. That life goes on without her and that it is right to take time for herself.
He understands that the greatest art is in moderation. In the balance between giving and receiving. In knowing how to be - not only for others, but also for yourself.
Zala Krupljan, 16. 2. 2025
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