Visiting nostalgia (Part One)

It seems to me that the older we get and the more memories, good and bad, are piling up into our minds, we have so many opportunities to reminisce about our most precious or most dreadful experiences. I must admit enjoying revisiting past memories whether I’m recalling them on purpose or when they’re randomly popping in my mind or suggested through my senses. 

In fact, nostalgia often is a bittersweet emotion characterized by a sentimental longing or a lingering affection for the past. Not just a simple memory recall, it's an emotional experience that blends positive feelings (warmth, happiness, comfort) with a tinge of sadness or longing for something that is gone and can't be relived. As I first mentioned, many things that trigger nostalgia involve sensory cues, but can also be psychological or social in nature. 

Smells for instance could be the most potent trigger. Some specific scents (perfume, food, cooking, flowers, freshly cut grass) can instantly transport us back to a specific time, place, or person. What is even stronger with me are the songs. When I hear certain songs, most often than not, they evoke strong feelings especially when I’ve linked them to significant moments of my life. For instance “Love is Blue” by Paul Mauriat, reminds me of flying over the Pacific Ocean between Tahiti and L.A. in 1971.

Certain photos can also evoke some strong feelings and bring me back in time. Then nostalgia often serves as a coping mechanism, triggered when we’re experiencing certain negative emotions or transitions. Situations like loneliness, when I’ve felt disconnected or isolated, often prompted me to reminisce about times when I felt more socially connected and loved. The same could be said of major life changes in my life like moving to a new place or taking a new job. Talking with old friends or family is another source leading to collective nostalgia. 

Finally, an interesting side of nostalgia is that, at least for me, it tends to color past events more positively than they might have actually been, filtering out negative details. This selective memory retrieval is perhaps what makes nostalgia comforting as it often embellishes the nature of our nostalgic feelings. Tomorrow, we’ll explore how we can best manage that powerful, multifaceted emotional and cognitive experience.