Turning Clay into Calm

Ove zime odlučila sam okrenuti novi list i krenuti na tečaj keramike u našem kvartu.

This winter I decided to turn over a new leaf and start a ceramics course in our neighborhood.

Prvi sat bio je subotom ujutro, a u radionici je mirisalo na glinu i topli čaj.

The first class was on Saturday morning, and the workshop smelled of clay and warm tea.

Instruktorica Mira pokazala je kako se glina centrira na kolu, dok smo mi stajali oko nje i šutke gledali.

Instructor Mira showed how to center the clay on the wheel while we stood around her and watched in silence.

Kad sam pokušala sama, šalica mi se raspala pod prstima i uhvatila me trema.

When I tried on my own, the cup fell apart under my fingers and stage fright hit me.

Svi su se blago nasmijali, ali nitko zlobno, pa sam duboko udahnula i pokušala još jednom.

Everyone smiled gently, but no one in a mean way, so I took a deep breath and tried again.

Mira je šapnula da ne žurim, jer glina voli mirne ruke i ravnomjeran pritisak.

Mira whispered not to rush, because clay likes steady hands and even pressure.

Malo po malo, kao da slažem ritam disanja s okretajima, zidovi šalice počeli su se dizati.

Little by little, as if I were matching my breathing to the turns, the cup’s walls began to rise.

Nije savršena, kriva je kao stari krov na Trešnjevci, ali to me baš razveselilo.

It isn’t perfect, it's crooked like an old roof in Trešnjevka, but that actually made me happy.

Kod kuće sam je osušila na prozorskoj dasci, a sutradan sam je odnijela u peć u centru.

At home I dried it on the windowsill, and the next day I took it to the kiln at the center.

Kad je izašla iz peći, glazirana plavom bojom, poklonila sam je susjedi Mariji, koja svake nedjelje donosi lavandu s Dolca.

When it came out of the kiln, glazed in blue, I gave it to my neighbor Marija, who brings lavender from Dolac every Sunday.

Rekla je da šalica drži toplinu kao da grli, a ja sam shvatila da se strpljenje stvarno može naučiti, samo treba ostati za stolom i prljati ruke.

She said the cup holds heat as if it hugs, and I realized that patience really can be learned; you just have to stay at the table and get your hands dirty.