Yes, an immigrant (who is not surrounded by close people or is surrounded by those who were not around them in their homeland) may begin to yearn for the “old” days and familiar places particularly strongly.
In reality, all people yearn for the crystal-clear times of youth, which cannot be returned, and for long-forgotten (and changed) places where they used to go with friends—or alone. Everyone goes through this.
And even though we all know perfectly well that we cannot return to the past. We cannot return to those places where we were happy—they have long since changed, perhaps so much so that we would not recognize them. We cannot turn back time: youth does not return.
It’s just that those who have never left understand this. And immigrants understand it too, they are just engulfed by the phenomenon of the potential possibility to “return.” As if, by returning to the country where we once were young and happy, we will be young and happy again. It’s an illusion, we understand that, but we continue to long for it in our hearts, where everything was different…
Even if it was in the distant past… But yesterday has already escaped just as far from us as it did 20 years ago.
I understood this very well when I was in Florida this winter. Time vanished without a trace, slipped through my fingers. There was nothing left of me there. If I ever move back—I will settle into this cold world again, decorate it, illuminate it with colorful lights.
It’s so naive to think that it’s better somewhere else. In reality, true happiness is only where we are. Here and now.
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