What is Real Love?

Iva Izabela Miholic
Feb 19
2 min read

What is real love?

Iva Izabela Miholic

There is a little town in my country, that would probably never be heard of if it was not a home to a beautiful love story. It is a small green place, called Brodska Varoš.

25 years ago, a young female stork got injured by poachers. Her wing was badly broken and she would never fly after this. Luckily, she was found by a school janitor, who took her in, and cared for her ever since. He named her Malena, which means Little One.

Storks are birds who mate for life. Even though she could never fly again, Malena was not destined to remain lonely. 15 years ago she met the love of her life, a male stork, they called Klepetan.

Malena and Klepetan made a nest and had 5 baby storks. They stayed together from spring until autumn, when it was time for storks to migrate to warm Africa. Klepetan separated from his Malena for the first time. She stayed in her small green town, as he embarked on his 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) long dangerous journey through Iraqi deserts, Sinai, Somalia, all the way to South Africa.

Malena spent the winter in the old janitor’s home, and when the spring came, she started preparing her nest. As March came, she became restless. She stood on the roof, arranging the nest, looking into the distance.

And then he came back to her.

They had their little ones, and spent spring and summer together, until it was time to say good bye again.

Klepetan has been coming back to Malena for 15 years now.

Every year when March comes, she prepares their nest and waits for his return. As his coming gets near, she stops eating and spends her time looking into the distance, until he comes back to her.

Through the years, Malena and Klepetan have brought 58 little storks into this world.

Klepetan usually arrives on 24th of March. As their love story became known and famous in Croatia, every year we all anxiously wait for the moment when he returns to Malena.

We have a live stream where we can see the nest and Malena waiting for her mate. If we are lucky, we get to see the very moment of his return.

Last year he was very late and we all thought that he died during his long and dangerous trip. When the end of March came, we all started losing hope that he would make it back. Malena never stopped waiting.

And then he came back to her.

He had to battle storms in Greece, and this delayed his return.

The whole country rejoiced with Malena.

Their love story is not over yet, and it seems that nothing short of death can stop these beautiful birds from being together.

Love is staying true.

Love is devotion.

Love is sticking it out.

Love is beyond distance, hardship and disability.

Love teaches you that you can fly even if your wings seem broken.