Grandma's Stories

On the weekend, Ilya went to visit his grandma, as he loved to do almost every Sunday. Grandma lived in a cozy house on the outskirts of the city, where it was always quiet and peaceful. Her house was surrounded by trees, and through the windows, you could see green meadows, which in spring were covered with flowers. Ilya always enjoyed visiting Grandma — here, he could relax from school, play outside, and learn something new and interesting.

That day, as soon as Ilya entered the house, he smelled the scent of freshly baked pies. Grandma was already waiting for him in the kitchen, and as soon as he sat down at the table, she slid a plate of apple pies over to him.

— Oh, Grandma, thank you! Your pies are always so delicious, — smiled Ilya, taking a bite of the crispy pie.

Grandma sat across from him, smiling as she watched him enjoy the treat.

— You know, when I was little, pies were a real treat for us, — began Grandma. — Back then, there were no bakeries or cafes, and my mom would bake them only on special occasions.

— Really? — Ilya was surprised. — And what else did you do in your childhood? You didn’t have phones or tablets like we do.

Grandma laughed:

— Oh, of course not! We played outside and had our own adventures. I can tell you about some of them if you’d like.

Ilya was thrilled. He loved hearing stories about what Grandma’s life was like as a child. They always seemed so amazing and almost magical to him.

— Tell me, Grandma! What games did you play? — asked Ilya, looking at her with curiosity.

Grandma sighed and drifted into her memories:

— We had a game called “hide and seek” — just like yours, but our hiding spots were really something. We hid behind old trees, under large rocks, and even in little sheds around. Sometimes, we ran so far that our parents had to call us for dinner, and no one could find us!

Ilya listened intently. He imagined Grandma as a little girl running through the village, hiding behind trees, and laughing with her friends.

— Weren’t you ever afraid of getting lost? — asked Ilya.

— Sometimes, — Grandma replied. — Once, my friend and I got so caught up in playing that we almost got lost in the woods. But we found our way back by following a little stream that led us back to the village.

Ilya pictured Grandma and her friend following the stream, feeling like real explorers. He was curious to know what other adventures she’d had.

— And what else did you do? — he asked eagerly.

Grandma smiled and continued:

— Our joys were very simple. In winter, we sledded down big hills, and in summer, we built “houses” out of branches and leaves. We pretended we lived in the woods and made up stories about protecting our “homes” from imaginary creatures.

Ilya was amazed. In Grandma’s childhood, there were no modern technologies, but it seemed full of fun and exciting activities.

— And you know what? — Grandma added, looking at Ilya warmly. — I still believe that the most fun is playing with friends and having a good time. Even without phones, we never got bored because friends were always around to have fun with.

These words made Ilya think. He realized that he often spent too much time on his tablet or phone, and although that was exciting too, he was now curious to try spending a day as Grandma did in her childhood.

— Grandma, can we go to the park tomorrow and play the games you used to play? — he asked suddenly.

Grandma was delighted:

— Of course, Ilya! I’ll show you all the secrets and tell you even more stories. I’m sure you’ll love it!

Ilya nodded, and his heart filled with joy. He realized that sometimes the simplest things can bring true happiness — you just need a little imagination and good company. He was already looking forward to the next day when he and Grandma would go to the park and try out her childhood games.

That evening became one of the warmest and most memorable moments for Ilya. He understood that spending time with loved ones is something that no technology can replace.