Immortals: Slovenia

Lira

My name is Lira. I was born in a cave near the river Sava, more than 40,000 years ago. I am one of the Cro-Magnons, the first modern humans to inhabit Europe. I have seen the rise and fall of civilizations, the birth and death of cultures, the glory and horror of history. I have witnessed the ice ages, the floods, the wars, the plagues, the revolutions, the inventions. I have lived through it all, and I have not aged a day.

I don't know why I am immortal. I don't know if I am a blessing or a curse, a miracle or a freak. I don't know if there are others like me, or if I am alone in this endless existence. I have searched for answers, but I have found none. I have tried to end my life, but I have failed. I have loved and lost, but I have never forgotten.

I live in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, a small country in the heart of Europe. I like this city, it reminds me of my home. It is surrounded by mountains and forests, and it has a beautiful river that flows through it. It is a city of culture and art, of history and modernity, of diversity and harmony. It is a city that has survived wars and earthquakes, that has changed its name and its rulers, that has embraced its past and its future.

I work as a librarian at the National and University Library, a magnificent building designed by the famous architect Jože Plečnik. I love books, they are my companions and my teachers. They tell me stories and secrets, they show me wonders and wisdom, they keep me company and comfort me. I have read thousands of books, in many languages and genres, but I never get bored of them. They are my windows to the world, and my mirrors to myself.

I have a few friends, but I don't get too close to them. I have learned the hard way that it is better to keep a distance, to avoid attachments, to protect myself and others from the pain of loss. I have seen too many people I cared about grow old and die, while I remained young and alive. I have buried too many lovers, too many children, too many friends. I have mourned too many times, and I have cried too many tears.

I don't know what my purpose is, or if I have one. I don't know what my destiny is, or if I can change it. I don't know what my future is, or if I will ever see the end of it. I don't know who I am, or why I am here. I only know that I am alive, and that I have to keep living.

This is my story, the story of an immortal who lives in present day Ljubljana and is telling the story of how she came to be. This is my story, but it is not over yet. It is only a chapter, a page, a word, in the book of my life. A book that has no end, and no beginning. A book that I write every day, with every breath, with every heartbeat.

This is my story, and it is yours to read.