The Essence of Nostalgia

I spent my entire childhood surrounded by the beautiful nature of Norway. I lived there for 15 years until my mother broke the news that we were moving to the United States. At such a young age, I had no idea what moving to the USA entailed, nor was I prepared for it. Today, I want to share that story with you—enjoy!

Summer break was in full swing, everyone was out of school, and home had become our new Mecca. Every morning, I woke up with the sun warming my eyelids, lying there feeling the freedom of time. Nothing was on the schedule, nowhere to be, no plans on the calendar. The day was completely open and filled with happiness—or so I thought.

One afternoon, my mother came through the front door with a look on her face. I wasn’t sure if it was good news or bad news, but it was one of those moments where the decision was definite, tinged with concern. And sure enough, she announced that she was going to move to the United States. She gave me the choice: stay with my father in Norway or move to the United States with her.

At such a young age, I found it hard to connect with my father, so the decision was easy—I’d go wherever my mother went. I had no idea what this would mean, nor could I comprehend how much my life was about to change.

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For the next 15 years, I immersed myself in the culture, language, humor, and everything else that life in California, USA, had to offer. High school, college, job interviews, girlfriends, marriage, road trips, identity crises, early life crises—the list goes on.

Despite all these years of living abroad, Norway still feels like home to me. For some reason, I’ve never felt truly connected to the United States. I constantly talk about Norway, dreaming of moving back someday and eventually living there. But life isn’t as simple as it seems, especially with all the entanglements that come with it.

I got married in 2022, and ever since, my outlook on the world has shifted as I’ve aged. The youthful spirit of going wherever the wind takes me is no longer sustainable. As time goes on, physical strength diminishes, and at some point, the spirit must settle into what the body can handle.

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Which brings me to the essence of today’s journal. Having left home at such a young age, I yearn for those golden days. It’s worth noting that I’ve been back several times and even lived there for half a year, and I still find myself thinking about the country and its living conditions frequently. I mean, who wouldn’t want to live in Norway? It’s consistently ranked among the top 10 countries to live in, making the decision to return an easy one to ponder.

However, this makes me wonder—by constantly dwelling on the past, am I taking away from the present moment? Every time I think about a different time frame, it distracts me from the here and now. This led me to explore what philosophers have said about this particular experience.

Søren Kierkegaard: Kierkegaard, a Danish existentialist philosopher, explored the concept of recollection (a form of reflective nostalgia). He suggested that while it’s natural to feel nostalgia, one should be wary of idealizing the past. Kierkegaard believed that the past is irretrievable in its original form, and focusing too much on it can prevent one from engaging authentically with the present and future. Instead, he advocated for using the past as a source of wisdom rather than as something to literally return to.

Friedrich Nietzsche: Nietzsche was critical of nostalgia and the longing to return to the past. He believed that such emotions could trap individuals in a cycle of regret and inhibit their ability to create a meaningful future. Nietzsche emphasized the importance of embracing life as it is (the concept of amor fati, or love of fate) and saw personal growth as moving forward rather than looking back.

Both Kierkegaard and Nietzsche touched on the topic of nostalgia and suggested that it is better understood as an idea rather than a pursuit. This perspective resonated with me. The past, no matter how much one idealizes it, remains in the past. Then comes the present moment, with its practical and economic realities. Norway is, by many metrics, a better country to live in compared to the United States.

This raises another question: what’s best isn’t necessarily what’s best for the current conditions. For example, the ideal environment for farming might be a warm climate with a decent amount of rain and sun year-round. However, these conditions are the worst for a cactus that has evolved to survive in dry climates.

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In the end, I’ve concluded that what one yearns for and strives to achieve determines the suitable conditions required. Until this feeling changes, it remains true for now.

Until next time, take care!