Venting Nostalgia - I just wanna go back

[kmlk13]

Hey guys, I'm writing this because lately I've been feeling extremely nostalgic, and want to get some things off my chest. Possibly, some of you feel similar way, let's exchange our experiences.

Even though it's impossible, I want to go back to my childhood and early teenage years. I grew up in a small town in central Europe, and damn, it was a life I wanted to live. I miss those long walks with my father in summer nights. Playing games with my younger brother. Bike rides with my friends from school. Some of those people are still (kinda) around me, but nowadays I can't even hold a conversation with them. I love them, but we grew apart, we're different now.

What I've been doing a lot now is browsing through old photos and posts from my schools' websites. When I find myself on a photo I can't hold back my tears. That child was so happy, carefree and hopeful for a great future, and I feel as if I let my-old-self down. Now, my life is split between college, day job and mental struggle.

Next weekend I'm visiting my hometown for the first time in months. I am hopeful that this experience will have a positive impact on me, but I am afraid that nostalgia will hit me too hard.

For me, childhood was probably the best time of my life. What about you? If you had the chance to travel back in time, would you?

I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them - Andy Bernard from The Office.

 

[m4rius]

For me, childhood was probably the best time of my life. What about you? If you had the chance to travel back in time, would you?

For sure, childhood was the best time of my life too besides the very beginning years since birth.

Nostalgia is very brutal, it's one of the hardest hitting emotions for me. I hate it because of that, too much pain. I would only go back if I could change some things, otherwise there's no point for me.

 

[sserafim]

I just wanna go
Back, back, back, back, back, back

 

[Ares]

I wouldn't go back. I've changed my personality too much, it'd probably be noticeable. And even if I did go back, there's not any point in time where I wouldn't have to deal with something shitty, so the few regrets I have are offset by having to needlessly experience any of that again. There's no such thing as a painless lesson, but there's really no point in repeating the same lesson twice. I learnt that the first time. Fighting in the here and now while imagining that this present moment is when my future self would want to return to at some point anyways is motivation enough to prevent any mistakes from happening preemptively. Acting in this way seems to work pretty well. As for nostalgia..? I'm not sure. Seeing so many people move on while constantly meeting lackluster attempts to rekindle relationships as I try to resist losing friends got so crushingly tiring that I simply don't care for them in the same way anymore. Not much is nostalgic for me anymore, aside from a handful of movies or shows I rewatched as a kid.

 

[xinino]

I can't relate, childhood nostalgia can arouse a feeling of inferiority in me, and I can't allow that. However, I have nostalgia about the old days, world of my fathers, and I strive for authentic experiences.

 

[dkrw]

I want to go back but I also cannot stop fantasizing about being someone else completely