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Oct 30, 2017
"For me, nostalgia is an involuntary emotion. I think it's just a natural human response to loss.
" --Michael Chabon
The Science on the Benefits of Nostalgia
It's natural to reflect on the past with a sense of longing - a desire to return to the way things used to be. In fact, our memories of positive events tend to be more crystallized in our minds than those of negative or neutral ones. But does nostalgia come at a cost? While some research suggests that nostalgia can interfere with one's attempts to cope with the present, it has also been found to provide a sense of stability and even promote personal growth during times of adversity. There's a fine line between perpetual longing to return to a simpler time, and drawing on fond memories or relationships to remind us of who we are and our capacity to navigate uncertainty and change.