National Adult Literacy Database

July 6, 1998

This week, we have a story written by Palmira Baretta, from Edmonton, Alberta. Palmira is originally from Italy. She is a mother and a grandmother. Palmira is an excellent natural writer with a gift for putting much feeling into her stories.

My Special Place

by Palmira Baretta

In the olden days in Italy, we didn't have much but we always were happy. To visualize a nice place was not hard.

My special place was half way to Grandma's house.

It was large, like a block here in Canada. All around were very big and old trees and a lot of different birds flying all around - so many different voices. They were making their own song.

On the left side was a small river. The water there was so clean and fresh. Just to look at the water made people go close and drink. Look to the right, there was a lot of trees full of fruit, like apple, peaches, cherries. Almost every day I would go to the place and give out all my thoughts as though it was my best friend.

I left the place and came to live in Canada but I never lost my friendship with that place. Many years later I went back to Italy. I found myself in the same place. I looked and looked. It was a little different. So was I! But always my favourite place. Tonight, just to write about the place, my memory comes back and I like that a lot.

[This story was taken with permission from Prospects Notes, a newsletter published by Prospects Literacy Association, December 1997.]