hiraeth: what makes me.. me?

Home

Hiraeth is a Welsh word that has no direct English translation. It is likened to a homesickness tinged with grief and sadness over the lost or departed, especially in the context of Wales and Welsh culture. It is a mixture of longing, yearning, nostalgia, wistfulness or an earnest desire for the Wales of the past. In the modern world, Hiraeth is often used to refer to a longing for a home or place that once existed or that is not accessible anymore.

What is home to you?

Abode, Beautiful, Caring, Charming, Clean, Comfortable, Cozy, Delightful, Embracing, Endearing, Familiar, Friendly, Graceful, Harmonious, Humble, Inspiring, Intimate, Inviting, Joyful, Magical, Memorable, Nostalgic, Nurturing, Peaceful, Precious, Refreshing, Relaxing, Sacred, Safe, Serene, Soothing, Vibrant, Warm, Welcoming 
          I have moved around many times during my life. Let me map it out:
          Gurgaon —> Lucknow —> Gurgaon —> Colombo —> Nairobi —> Bangalore —> New York
                
                                      []=++-
                      _II__|
                     [[__] |
    _________________||  |___
   /^^^^^^,-.^^^^^^^^\|__|^^^\
  /     ,',-.`.               \
 /    ,','   `.`.     ,-"""-.  \
/___,','__   __`.`.__/_,"T"._\__\
 |='-'||/\| |^^||`-`=|_|_|_|_|=|
 |= = ||)(| |__||= ==|_|_|_|_|=|
 |= ==|"""" """"| = =____= =_==|
 |== =| __   __ |= =| [] | |^|=|
 |= ==||/\| |==||== |   o|=|_| |
 |== =||)(| |  || = | == | == =|
 |= ==|"""" """"|== |____|= = =| 
 """""|_________|"""'====`""""""



           `'::.
      _________H ,%%&%,
     /\     _   \%&&%%&%
    /  \___/^\___\%&%%&&
    |  | []   [] |%\Y&%'
   |  |   .-.   | ||  
  ~~@._|@@_|||_@@|~||~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       `""") )"""`
        
                                         .     .
                               !!!!!!!
                       .       [[[|]]]    .
                       !!!!!!!!|--_--|!!!!!
                       [[[[[[[[\_(X)_/]]]]]
               .-.     /-_--__-/_--_-\-_--\
               |=|    /-_---__/__-__-_\__-_\
           . . |=| ._/-__-__\===========/-__\_
           !!!!!!!!!\========[ /]]|[[\ ]=====/
          /-_--_-_-_[[[[[[[[[||==  == ||]]]]]]
         /-_--_--_--_|=  === ||=/^|^\ ||== =|
        /-_-/^|^\-_--| /^|^\=|| | | | ||^\= |
       /_-_-| | |-_--|=| | | ||=|_|_|=||"|==|
      /-__--|_|_|_-_-| |_|_|=||______=||_| =|
     /_-__--_-__-___-|_=__=_.`---------'._=_|__
    /-----------------------\===========/-----/
   ^^^\^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^[[|]]|[[|]]=====/
       |.' ..==::'"'::==.. '.[ /~~~~~\ ]]]]]]]
       | .'=[[[|]]|[[|]]]=`._||==  =  || =\ ]
       ||== =|/ _____ \|== = ||=/^|^\=||^\ ||
       || == `||-----||' = ==|| | | |=|| |=||
       ||= == ||:^s^:|| = == ||=| | | || |=||
       || = = ||:___:||= == =|| |_|_| ||_|=||
      _||_ = =||o---.|| = ==_||_= == =||==_||_
      \__/= = ||:   :||= == \__/[][][][][]\__/
      [||]= ==||:___:|| = = [||]\\//\\//\\[||]
      }  {---'"'-----'"'- --}  {//\\//\\//}  {
    __[==]__________________[==]\\//\\//\\[==]_
   |`|~~~~|================|~~~~|~~~~~~~~|~~~~||
   |^| ^  |================|^   | ^ ^^ ^ |  ^ ||
  \|//\\/^|/==============\|/^\\\^/^.\^///\\//|///
 \\///\\\//===============\\//\\///\\\\////\\\/////
 ""'""'""".'..'. ' '. ''..'.""'""'""'""''"''"''""
        
            Each time I moved, it would take me time to adjust to my new 
            surroundings and get over the familiar comfort of my previous home. 
            I have very fond memories of my grandmothers house in Lucknow 
            where I lived till I was 5, I miss the garden and the courtyard and 
            the park next to our house. 
            Unfortunately, that house has since been broken down and a commercial 
            building has taken its place. I often go back to the site of the old 
            house when I am visiting, reminiscing on my fond memories and feeling 
            what is perhaps best described by the word - hiraeth
            
            When I was living abroad in Sri Lanka and Kenya, I found a sense of comfort in my 
            apartment and my room. I kind of find it weird thinking how someone else could be 
            living there now.. How my home could be someone elses home now.. 
            When I found this word on Pinterest, it was somehow comforting and beautiful 
            (and has now become a part of my vocabulary and a recurring topic for my projects haha)