"La nostalgia por las cosas que hemos perdido es más llevadera que la nostalgia por las cosas que nunca fueron"
— Marcel Proust
Simplified Meaning:
When we feel nostalgic, we often think back to things we once had or experiences we once went through, and this feeling is easier to handle than missing something that never happened. For example, recalling childhood summers spent at the beach with family is a sweet, manageable kind of nostalgia. Even though those days are gone, you have real memories to hold onto. However, longing for a dream that never came true, like wishing you had pursued a certain career or taken a chance on a relationship that never happened, can be more painful. This kind of nostalgia is tricky because it's about imagining what could have been, and there's no real memory, just a feeling of loss for something that was never part of your life. To deal with this, it's helpful to focus on the present and make the most of the opportunities you have now, rather than getting stuck on what didn’t happen.
