December morning

On the ancient walls of Bari Vecchia, amid time-worn stones and centuries-old stories, a young woman is sitting in a quiet spot, cradled by a cool wind that caresses her face. It is the last breath of December 2011, and the city seems to experience a solemn stillness, as if it too is preparing its own farewell to the year that is ending.

Giulia (fictitious name) deeply loves Bari Vecchia. The tangled streets, the alleys full of history and the scent of the sea mingling with that of food from the surrounding kitchens, the distant sound of the cathedral bells... It is her sanctuary, the refuge where she can free her mind and give life to the words dancing in her head.

On a cold December morning, the sun peeps through the clouds, providing moments of warmth. Sitting on a bench, Giulia admires a breathtaking sight: the sea extends endlessly to her left, giving her a feeling of peace and freedom.

With a gray woolen hat pulled down to her eyebrows to shield herself from the wind and a warm dark jacket to protect her from the cold, Giulia lets her eyes wander over the notebook resting on her lap. Her fingers gently skim the blank page, tracing lines and curves that turn into thoughts, emotions, dreams. She writes about love, hope, pain and rebirth. She tells the stories that inhabit her soul, the adventures she dreams of living, the worlds she longs to explore.

The voices of passersby, the song of the seagulls circling far in the air, and the sweet scent of salt air blend harmoniously with the soft sound of the pen running across the paper. Giulia can feel herself as an integral part of that landscape, as if she were an inspirational muse for the very waves of the sea and the flights of the seagulls.

Time seems to stand still as she writes, allowing herself to be carried away by the waves of her creativity and the magic of the place that has captured her. And so, sitting on the wall of Bari Vecchia, immersed in her world of words and thoughts, Giulia keeps bringing to life stories that will thrill anyone lucky enough to read them.

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I was inspired by a photographic exercise proposed on Facebook, in a wonderful group from Colori Vivaci Magazine, in which people were asked to photograph a bench and imagine (or remember) a story about it. This photo, which for me - born and lived there for 40 years - has irreplaceable emotional value, awakened my mind. It is my personal mosaic of memories and imaginations.... 

I took it precisely on December 28, 2011.