Do you feel this too?

Introduction

Nostalgia (noun) is a word that looks almost the same in several European languages. And its history is quite fascinating.

The word was coined in 1688 by a young Alsatian student named Johannes Hofer. He created it as a scientific term for the German word Heimweh, meaning homesickness.

At the time, Hofer was trying to describe a medical condition observed in Swiss soldiers who were far from home.

The symptoms could be surprisingly severe: deep sadness, insomnia, fever, and even physical deterioration.

A word made from two Greek roots

To create the word, Hofer drew on two ancient Greek roots:

νόστος (nostos) — returning home, or returning to one’s homeland

ἄλγος (algos) — pain or suffering

So, quite literally, nostalgia could be understood as “the pain of longing to return home.”

Today, of course, the word has lost its medical meaning.

Nostalgia has become a universal emotion: a bittersweet feeling when thinking about something that is gone.

In France, there is even a radio station called Nostalgie! I really enjoy listening to it… even though it plays songs from decades I never actually lived through.

And yet, through my parents’ stories and memories, I can sometimes feel a little of their nostalgia for those years.

It comes without warning

The sea is deep blue. The sun shines proudly over the Marseille sky.

And yet, my stomach tightens.

My memories take me back to another time, another life. A gentle but persistent sadness settles in, without warning.

I know we tend to idealise the past. I know my present isn’t so bad.

But I can’t help smiling sadly as these images pass before my eyes — images that are now trapped inside my memory.

And you?

Which years or moments of your life do you feel particularly nostalgic for?