The Zinchenkos' Christmas tree. (source: I. Z.)
Christmas is considered to be a special holiday and a special time – a time of miracles. Of course, they happen sometimes on other days, but now I want to tell you about the magic of my recent Bratislava Christmas.
The first two months in Slovakia were really hard for me – especially because my family had no normal home, just a small room. But winter came, and a chain of events filled our life with real miracles.
The most important miracle
For a long time our family had been searching for a home in Slovakia. For almost two months, almost every day, we had called real estate agencies and apartment owners, gone to meetings, and seen dozens of flats.
But with every visit, our hopes melted. In the queue of those who wanted to rent any flat, we were the last - because of our dog, Pablo.
Once, in the middle of November, for the first time, I went to view one flat alone. As soon as I entered it, I saw bowls for food and water and understood that a dog lived there. Indeed, a man with an old dog lived there. Surprisingly, the 13-year-old pet suggested that we play together. In this single moment, I realised that I was in the right place. It became so clear to me. The details no longer mattered.
The owner of the flat turned out to be a wonderful and kind person, and he understood our situation. In the end, our family settled in a very nice flat in a convenient and cosy area of Bratislava-Ružinov with all the necessary infrastructure and excellent transport connections.
For us, all of it was really amazing, considering how long the search for a new home took. After moving to the new flat, a feeling of home and peace appeared deep in my soul. This was what I dreamed of from the first day in Slovakia.
The dream came true right before the lighting of the first Advent candle.
The cosy miracle
As most families in Europe, we have a tradition of putting up a Christmas tree, decorating it with toys, garlands and lights.
However, this year, because we were low on finances, we decided to not have any tree. But scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post that said a lady from Bratislava was donating 30 Christmas trees to Ukrainian families. I added my name to the list, but there were already more than 30 people there.
Yet, the next morning, we received a message that we could come and pick up the Christmas tree. For me, it became a real Christmas miracle. As I learned later, that lady decided to give away 50 more trees.
If she reads this - thank you so much, Andrea! The marvellous tree brought the festive spirit to our new home and made this time very joyful.
The mysterious miracle
About seven months ago, when we were still staying in Albania, I accidentally lost my favourite silver earring. I was searching for it for a long time and persistently – both on the street and at home, checking all my clothes and pockets, but with no result.
Then the time to move to Slovakia arrived. All our things were washed, folded and sorted. I had already forgotten about the lost earring – until the day before Christmas. After doing the laundry, I noticed a small object in the washing machine. I took it out... and what did I see? Any guesses? The earring that I lost in Albania! The metal was a little darker, but the stone remained intact.
Such an unexpected find surprised and delighted me. The answer to the question "How has this happened?" may remain a secret forever.
Maybe for some of you, readers, my Christmas miracles will seem common and ordinary but for me, these events were really amazing. I wish, dear readers, you experience plenty of pleasant events that will surprise and delight you, and will restore your faith in miracles.
PS: Happy New Year!
