Green Gardens trail in Gros Morne National Park, NL (Timothy Holmes on Unsplash)
They’d come to Gros Morne every summer. On “Dad Week.” Camp in a tent that always leaked but Dad wouldn’t replace, every patch and glued seam a map of reminiscing. They’d spend days on the meadows, walk the volcanic beach, go down to Old Man’s Cove.
Sal loved all of it. Even the chill and wet and constant hunger (for there was always more Dad aspired to catch than what he’d actually manage to). Sal never complained. He’d give up everything to breathe the ocean and make up stories about pirates in the coves. He’d even downplay the painful rash and sneezing (they never did find which wild-flower he was allergic to, and he didn’t want to, afraid Mom would say he couldn’t go).
Erosion closed his favorite trail, but not his memories.
He gazed at the ocean and wondered if Dad, whose mind was fading, still had his.
For What Pegman Saw: Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada
Na'ama Yehuda 
That was a lovely story, Na’ama.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Dale! Parts of the trail are indeed closed (according to the Park’s site), due to erosion, and it made me think of the people who used to take these trails and now cannot …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly. It is one of the two provinces I have yet to visit… Going high up on my list.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can see why!! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely little story. Great language.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 Thank you! 🙂
LikeLike
Let’s hope we keep some memories as the sunset arrives.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amen and indeed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t know if you knew this but I have the word “indeed” copyrighted.
LikeLike
LOL! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds like a happy recollect.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was the intent, along with a bit of sorrow and a bit of bitter-sweet, but mostly nostalgic. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
And so it works 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was a beautiful story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jellico! 🙂 I’m glad it resonated!
LikeLiked by 1 person
…מעלה רגשות אמביוולנטיים של געגוע, כאב, חמימות, כמיהה
LikeLiked by 1 person
Whatever it brings up in anyone who reads it, is relevant — it is, after all, about what the reader feels when they read!
I’m glad this came across as an emotive and a meaningful piece!
LikeLike
So beautifully written. I loved the parentheticals especially–it suited the material so well. And a bittersweet end. Lovely!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Karen!
I saw that there are many trails that have been closed due to erosion, and with the climate strike yesterday and the realities of climate change all over the world, this is what this brought up for me – the loss not only of habitat and places one had frequented and/or calls home, but for some, the loss of memories, too.
I’m glad it resonated!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely gorgeous, Na’ama. And what a wonderful title – just right
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Lynn! Isn’t language delicious!? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very true, it is 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
I love the way your title and the first paragraph foreshadow your last line so subtly. Lovely writing, Na’ama.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 Yay
LikeLike
I love the way your title and the first paragraph foreshadow your last line so subtly. Lovely writing, Na’ama.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay hurray! 🙂 I am so glad the meaning/s came through! 🙂 So very gratifying!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such wonderfully chosen details, I felt like I was reminiscing right along with him, seeing all of it with a nostalgic heart’s view.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Joy! I’m so happy you felt it spoke to you! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
It really did. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like the name of this place. My Googlized translation was Great Dismal. Big dismal sounds better to me. And despite all the happy memories, you do send us off on a rather sad note. So apropos. .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Whoa for the Google translation!! How odd! Where on earth did the algorithm get THAT notion, when reminiscing often has more nostalgia than sorrow in it? (then again, there is always some sorrow, in looking back, and there certainly is in that piece, so good on Google! I guess they READ my piece! 😉 ).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Im talking about the name of the location–sorry I didnt make that clear. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
OOOOOOOOOOOH! Well, that makes more sense!! 😉 And here I thought Google became psychic … 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha!😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀
LikeLike