Here and Then, Now and There

Nostalgia literally means a painful yearning to return home.

Home, that is. Your memory. Comfort. A sense of belonging, warmth, and love. A connection dearly missed and hoping to be rebuilt. Time spun back to a place and time, that which we embrace as treasure. A fleeting utopia. The place that cannot be. Ephemeral in nature, it perishes with a single sigh. Wound that never fully healed. Chains that were never entirely severed. Bitter. To relive your memory as your own prison. Yet so sweet. Most blissful you remember them to be. And flawless from the distance afar. The displacement that speaks of aging youth and experiences gained. A sanctuary for those who wish it to be. And perfectly fragile.

To the average viewer, there's nothing special about the photo above, nor does it seem related to the post. It tells a mere story of a fish market warehouse on one afternoon. But I was with an old friend from abroad that day, visiting me in Seoul. And as I was taking the photo I remember reminiscing and the afterthought that came immediately. How silly and pitiful I seemed drowning in nostalgia. But it felt nice. Bittersweet, as most would say. That's what this photo means to me.