Hiraeth

Have you ever felt that tug of deep, inborn yearning in your mid-lower chest for a place you wish to be; yet know not of where it is?

I most certainly have. Too many times to count.

For a time, I pondered on the feeling; even so I never actively read up on it. I guess I did not need to, for the universe has a way of popping revelations to me sporadically. And once again, it happened. It came in the form of an aesthetic Instagram reel containing one word and its definition.

Hiraeth.

The word is of Welsh origin with no direct English translation, though you can find several close versions of what it could mean. My favorite interpretation happens to be, “A spiritual longing for a home, which maybe never was. Nostalgia for ancient places beyond this plane of existence; to which we cannot return. It is the echo of the lost places of our soul’s past and our grief for them. It is in the wind, sea, and sky. It is nowhere and everywhere.”

Personally speaking, fantasy-based periodical romance novels; handwritten letters inscribed in Old English expressing themselves with literacy, maturity, and fervor; music composed from a blend of piano, flutes, harps, ukuleles, cellos, violins, with angelic, airy voices are a few elements that can awaken my hiraeth. For example, the ACOTAR novel series and the mystical film scores in Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Pride and Prejudice, and Games of Thrones tickle me pink. If I boil it down to a common factor, my hiraeth seems to point to a place long time past; baked with magic, romance, and with intellectual and emotional sophistication seasoned with propriety.

Be that as it may, no hiraeth is the same as the other; to each their own.

So, What About You?

What transcendent aspects kindle your hiraeth? Is it a specific location rich in history, culture, and enchantment? Or is it an intangible territory; a realm filled with infinite promise, beckoning its missing piece to return home? Perhaps, a point in time; a memory from some time back, or maybe even from another lifetime eons ago. Could it be a certain melodic piece; be it classical or 80’s pop? Possibly a particular clip from a movie; with its background surroundings sparking a sense of familiarity. Probably, a novel; with a scene so intensely familiar, that it leaves an intimate mark in your heart. Instead, might it be a person; a departed loved one, a distanced friend, haply even a flame whom you have yet not come to meet? It could be multiple of these angles or none of them.

After careful rumination, you will have a question.

How Do I Answer The Call?

Before you respond to the pull, you need to be conscious of the fact that hiraeth has the potential to become overwhelming. In such times, that vague tug of yearning for the comfort of home could suddenly turn into a brooding yank of despondency; depending on how low your mood gets during moments when you wish to escape a distressing event in life. Of course, feeling blue in our current world, society, and circumstances can get as easy as falling leaves in autumn. During these times, you must be coherent in how you perceive the enigma that is hiraeth.

Like an adventure.

The influence of hiraeth calls for travel. Be it ten steps to your favorite person, ten blocks to your favorite bookstore, ten years into the sweetest memories of your past, ten levels into your passion, ten thousand miles to the locale of your dreams, or even ten million neurons deep into your imagination, acknowledge it.

Some might experience lifelong memories of bliss to smile about, but some might find the rest of their lives waiting to be lived after answering it.

It is all up to you.

Those of you who have already felt the tug and answered the call, please feel free to share your experiences in the comments.

Those of you who have felt the tug and have not yet fared the journey, tell me if you found this encouraging.

And finally, for those of you who have no idea of what the heck this is, let me know if this is something you would like to experience.

I hope you enjoyed reading my first blog. Till next time.

~Wolfy