Sep 9

Sep 9 Lost in Thought: Embracing nostalgia

I always get a sense of nostalgia when Fall begins. To me, nostalgia is the sweet smell of autumn in the air and the site of leaves changing colours. It’s Halloween, and how it brought such a sense of happiness in my life when I was a kid. It’s that warm fuzzy feeling I get at Christmas time with all the beautiful lights and old traditions. It’s the thought of large oak trees, embellished in Spanish moss that I used to climb as a kid. It’s a cassette tape, the ninja turtles, pogs, slap bracelets or a Walkman. Nostalgia is a state of mind that removes me from the present (even only for a moment), and wraps me up in warmth.

Feeling nostalgic is probably one of my favourite feelings in the world. I embrace the feeling wholeheartedly. It’s a powerful yet comforting feeling. When I think of my happiest moments such as traveling, or listening to music, they always (in some way) evoke a sense of nostalgia within me. These moments of reflection ground me to a comforting moment from the past.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes nostalgia as “a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition”. Coming from the Greek word of Nostos (return home) and algos (ache/pain), the word nostalgia was once (many, many years ago) considered to be a disorder. What was once referred to in a negative way, is now scientifically proven to be a positive thing for the brain and the spirit.

Although nostalgia can sometimes bring back sad memories of lost love or things that are no longer a part of us, it also sparks healing and positivity. Have you ever had a really good cry? That suffocating, awful-in-the-moment cry? Then, all of a sudden, once you’re all cried out and take a few deep breaths, you almost feel (dare I say it) slightly better? That feeling right there is part of the healing. It is a step towards accepting what has happened and pushing through it. Nostalgia does the same for me. It grounds me to the past and allows me to open up and better understand the future. It also reminds me of what makes me happy and what experiences I want to continue to include in my life.

Growing up, we are often rushing into the next stage of our lives. As kids, we can’t wait to be adults so that we have freedom. As adults, we’re often anticipating the next step in life, whether it’s career, buying a home or that moment where we ‘figure it all out’. It’s not until we’re older that we reminisce about those good ol’ days. It really makes you think: Right now, this very second, will one day serve as a period of time you reflect on with nostalgia; whether it’s a joyous time in your life, or a time that you grew and learned from.

Today, I encourage you to reflect on a moment in time. Revisit an old journal. Open up that old photo album that’s collecting dust. Watch that movie that you haven’t watched in years. Take a moment to bask in a memory and let it wrap you up in nostalgic bliss. Get lost in nostalgia.

What evokes nostalgia in you? Comment below!