Missing

Sometimes language misses the point.

“I miss it” sounds sad.

“I miss Japan.”
“I miss Chiangmai.”
“I miss being young.”
“I miss those early years.”

All sounds like loss.
Nostalgia often carries a hint of heartbreak.
It’s unreasonable but it’s true.

But oftentimes what I actually wanted to say was, “It makes me happy to remember it. I am glad it happened at all.”

So many more words.
So—unfortunately—people compress it to just “I miss it”.
But it couldn’t be more different in outlook and stance.

One sees lack, the other see abundance.
One is grief, the other is gratitude.
One clings, the other sets free.

I wish we had a single word to say the other.

People would be much happier.