The Greenhouse of Dreams: From Helplessness to Abundance
Written by Zala Hrastar
Two friends, Roza and Elena, went on a trip. It was a rainy day, the traffic on the road not too heavy. The rain grew stronger, mixing with the fog, until they could see nothing before them but thick whiteness. The heavy drops turned into icy tears, and a deafening, arrhythmic drumming filled the air.
Shaking, Roza found the emergency exit—she turned off the road and stopped in a car park in front of a church. The icy tears were growing larger and louder. Roza did not know what to do. Her thoughts wandered from the image of a damaged car to her family’s damaged vegetable garden. She and her mother had been preparing and tending it since late winter. She felt helpless; the world outside was rumbling and raging, and she wanted to rage as well. But she knew she was not the only one in such a situation. How many other gardens would be destroyed? Would there be enough food? Would the prices rise? What would happen to their self-sufficiency? What would they eat? What should she do now, tomorrow, next month, next year?
Elena calmed her. She told her that everything would be all right. That they had a roof over their heads, that they were dry, and that they should wait for the storm to pass. Then they would face the problem in a clear and proper way. And so they waited.
Illustrated by Gregor Šuštar
The hailstorm ended. The pounding turned into the gentle patter of raindrops. The two girls drove on, continuing their trip, which brought them to a greenhouse built from old windows and doors. Inside grew a flourishing garden, full of life and freshly watered by the rain collected in a reservoir.
An idea bloomed in Roza’s mind—that they too should build such a greenhouse at home, one that could withstand icy storms. One that would stand proudly beneath the sky, full of life, greenery and blossoms. One that would always provide enough food, and even more to share with neighbours and friends. So that no one would go hungry.