It is a great exercise to attempt a recall of the childhood places in which we were reared. What do you remember? Don't rush. Just try to slowly shift back through the years.

James Joyce in his book Ulysses wrote about the streets and alleys of his native Dublin, Ireland while he was living in Trieste, Italy. He had not been back to Dublin for many years but the memories of the neighborhoods of his youth allowed him to write with great detail and exactitude of his early years.

As Leopold Bloom, the main character of the book traverses Dublin on that fateful day we follow him crossing the Liffey River and entering pubs and alehouses. The day is June 16, 1904 and all the action takes place in that one 24-hour period. Each chapter corresponds to a chapter in the Greek Poet Homer's book The Odyssey.

The Odyssey tells the journey of Ulysses after the Trojan War. Leopold and Ulysses are making their individual ways home. Ulysses is returning to his home island of Ithaca from Troy to his faithful wife Penelope and his son Telemechus. Leopold Bloom is returning to his wife Molly Bloom and their strange relationship.

By many literary critics, the novel Ulysses is considered to be the finest novel of the 20th century. It is even more fascinating when you realize that James Joyce wrote about Dublin in great detail from a far distant vantage point.

Here on Long Island, where I have lived for 40 years, I have attempted to conjure up the places of my youth. In my mind's eye I too can picture the Bronx neighborhood that I grew up in. I can see every store on 174th Street from the elevated train down the hill to the Bronx River. Hoe Avenue, Vyse Avenue, Longfellow Avenue and Boone Avenue were the cross streets of 174th Street which was the main shopping place for the local residents. Nat's Luncheonette, Rosenzweig's Candy Story, Spund's novelty shop, Bucknoffs Delicatessen, Julie's Bakery and Rauch's Pharmacy were on the south side of the street. On the opposite side were Molly's Knish Store, Sloyton's Drugs and my father's Dry Good store.

You can do it! You can visualize your past! Concentrate. Ask your siblings.

Close your eyes. Let your minds/eyes do the work. The scenes of your youth will return.