Blessed is he who lives with his soul...

At the beginning of the 60s of the last century, Father Zef Plumi served as parish priest in the Nikaj church, which is still remembered by the inhabitants of that deep and economically backward area, but unyielding in the weather. It was precisely the sons of this province of Tropoja, the only ones in this northern region, who met the communist system at gunpoint from the gangs that had sprung up like wild grass. At the same time, they were virtuous and aware of what they wanted to live their lives in that huge valley of the Keshniki epic. Father Zef Plumi, whom the author of this article also knew and was told by him, was respected by all the residents. Even some Muslim families went to church every Sunday to confess to Father Zefi. a conversation of Father Zefi with a believer and the chairman of the village council. Here's the story about Father Zef Plumi: At a wedding, during the conversation, where Father Zef was also present, a believer told him that he wanted to confess, because he was old, and he didn't know what to understand. death may come and it was not confessed to the friar Zef Pllumi. But the head of the council immediately intervenes, a fellow villager in his forties, and tells him that the confessor has neither manliness nor sense. And in the cast, Father Zefi, who was listening to the conversation, a little confused, with furrowed brows, turns to the chairman of the council: Don't, Mhill, may God forgive what you said, because you're talking to someone who drinks mustard. Where did you get it, Mhill? the name? Meanwhile, he was red in the face and did not speak. So you Mhill got your name from Saint Mhilli, and if Saint Mhilli didn't exist, it fell into my hands, you wouldn't exist either, because you wouldn't be called Mhill. Well, every name has an origin, every origin has a history, and every history has a past that you and the future generations must learn, because after 100 years, this derzhava is forgotten because no one knows the end of this earth. Good luck. the one who lives with his soul, Father Zef Pllumi closed the conversation one autumn day at the beginning of the 60s of the last century. But the many readers of the "SOT" newspaper will rightly ask what the connection is with the writing of this episode that we mentioned above. In the local government elections on May 14 of this year, Albanians demonstrated a high political culture and a great desire for democracy. We were used to queuing to get a plane ticket, to go through the customs of a European country, to buy bread and food, children's books and notebooks, to legalize various documents in state institutions, but rarely did we stand in line for hours to vote, even elderly people stood in line leaning on canes. I have heard how many times, in the capacity of an international observer, how many times young people said that we will stay until the morning if necessary, in line to vote, that this vote is our future. During these post-election months, I have been reminded of Father Zef Pllum's golden saying "blessed is he who lives with his soul".