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Writer's pictureAntica Zovko

Winter's Serenade: A Tale of Piano, Generosity, and Thawing Hearts

In the serene embrace of a frigid Calgary afternoon, where the thermometer courageously registered a bone-chilling -16 degrees, I found myself momentarily caught in the icy grip of anxiety and faltering faith. Despite being the eternal optimist, always discovering beauty amidst adversity, this time, I momentarily lost my way in the biting cold.


As the winter wind howled outside, I retreated for a brief respite, seeking warmth and solace in the cocoon of my home. A nap beckoned, but the realization struck me that surrendering to the cold's oppressive grasp could only exacerbate the situation. Reminding myself of the morning's early rise at 6 AM, I decided to reclaim control over my mood.

In this moment of self-reckoning, I turned to my piano, a faithful companion in my sixty-something years, and embarked on the delicate journey of mastering Beethoven's timeless masterpiece, "Fur Elise." Admittedly, I only tackled the initial section, but for me, it was a triumph—a personal conquest etched in the keys and notes I committed to memory.

With every melodious note, my mood thawed, and the chill that gripped my soul began to dissipate. I reflected on the tapestry of my life, weaving through the decades, and marveled at the sheer audacity of learning the piano in my twilight years, courtesy of YouTube tutorials.

As my fingers danced on the keys, I pledged to myself not to advance to the next part until the first was ingrained in my musical lexicon. Amidst the euphoria of discovery and the thrill of accomplishment, a subtle sound interrupted my private symphony—an earnest scraping of snow outside.

To my delight, I beheld my neighbor, a spirited soul in his early thirties, diligently clearing the sidewalk in front of my house. His altruistic gesture warmed my heart, a testament to the generosity that still lingers in our world. Gratitude washed over me as he extended his efforts to the area beneath my window and doorstep.


Brimming with gratitude, I continued to play, the harmonious chords echoing both within my home and beyond. Amidst the melodic cascade, my benevolent neighbor approached, suggesting I retreat indoors to shield myself from the biting cold.

In that moment, I was reminded that kindness remains a beacon in the human spirit. There, in the frozen stillness of a winter's day, I witnessed the beauty of unexpected generosity, a testament to the warmth that can thaw even the coldest of days.


Author, Antica Zovko



Zimski Serenada: Priča o Klaviru, Velikodušnosti i Otopljenim Srcima


U nježnom zagrljaju ledenog popodneva u Calgaryu, gdje je termometar hrabro bilježio ledenu hladnoću od -16 stupnjeva, našla sam se privremeno uhvaćena u ledenom stisku anksioznosti i kolebanja vjere. Unatoč vječnom optimizmu, uvijek otkrivam ljepotu usred poteškoća, ovaj put sam se privremeno izgubila u oštrini hladnoće.

Dok je zimski vjetar zavijao izvan, povukao sam se na kratki predah, tražeći toplinu i utehu u okrilju svog doma. Drijemež je zvao, ali shvatila sam da se predati opresivnom stisku hladnoće može samo pogoršati situaciju. Podsjetivši se jutarnjeg buđenja u 6 sati, odlučila sam preuzeti kontrolu nad svojim raspoloženjem.

U ovom trenutku samorazmatranja okrenula sam se svom klaviru, vjernom suputniku u svojim šezdesetim godinama, i krenula na nježno putovanje osvajanja bezvremenog remek-djela Ludwiga van Beethovena, "Für Elise". Priznajem, uhvatila sam se samo u uvodnom dijelu, ali za mene je to bio trijumf - osobna pobjeda urezana u tipke i note koje sam upila u svoje pamćenje.

Svaki melodiozan ton otapao je moje raspoloženje, a hladnoća koja je stegla moju dušu počela je blijedjeti. Razmišljala sam o tkivu svog života koje je kroz desetljeća tkano, divila se hrabrosti učenja sviranja klavira u mojim zlatnim godinama, zahvaljujući tutorijalima na YouTubeu.

Dok su moji prsti plesali po tipkama, obećala sam samoj sebi da neću prijeći na sljedeći dio dok ne utvrdim prvi. Usred euforije otkrića i uzbuđenja postignuća, nježan zvuk prekinuo je moju privatnu simfoniju - ozbiljno struganje snijega izvana.

Na moje oduševljenje, ugledala sam susjeda, živopisnu dušu u svojim ranim tridesetima, predano čistio pločnik ispred moje kuće. Njegov nesebičan gest ugrijao je moje srce, svjedočeći o velikodušnosti koja još uvijek prebiva u našem svijetu. Zahvalnost me obuzela dok je proširio svoje napore na područje ispod mog prozora i ispred vrata.

Preplavljena zahvalnošću, nastavila sam svirati, harmonični akordi odjekujući kako unutar mojeg doma, tako i izvan njega. Usred melodičnog kaska, moj dobrodušni susjed pristupio je, sugerirajući da se povučem unutra kako bih se zaštitila od oštre hladnoće.

U tom trenutku podsjetila sam se da ljubaznost ostaje svjetionik u ljudskom duhu. Tamo, u smrznutoj tišini zimskog dana, svjedočila sam ljepoti neočekivane velikodušnosti, dokazu topline koja može otopiti čak i najhladnije dane.


Authorica, Antica Zovko

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