The icon you are speaking of is the documents icon. It keeps your current documents easily available to you. It is possible to drag and drop these into the trash can. If that is the case just look at the trash can and see if there are wadded up papers in it. If there is click on it to open and click and drag back to the desktop. If the trash can is empty then they may have never gone there or they may have been deleted permanently.

Also find the icon on your tool bar that is labeled Launchpad. Open it go to the program used to originate said document and click on it. Once that program is open notice the menu bar at the top of your screen changes to be relevant for that program. If you used pages click on open. You should be seeing a window with options. On the left is a number of file locations your file may be hiding in. Click on each to check for it.

I also have an Imac and after many years as a PC user the learning curve was frustrating. What I eventually found for me was I like this architecture so much more. Connecting other devices's is stupid simple. The mac does it for you with minimal input. All your PC issues will dissappear. When you allow your mac to update it system when needed you will have minimal worrys about viruses. Macs are not virus proof but the kernal is not given out to every software co. in the world.

Apple makes the software cos who want to write software submit there products for eval before ever excepting or contracting with them. This keeps quality standards very high and protects the systems core software the kernal. Without this info it is incredible hard to write a successful virus. Windows will distribute its kernal to nearly any one and litigate after. Or write a cure for a virus later.

For PC users this insurers patch after patch and having to purchase and repurchase virus protection.