Saudade The Presence of Absence

 

From Freda Cameron: "Two years ago, I was in Paris for a special reason. Recently, I ran across this explanation of what we feel when losing someone close to us. From an article by Laurie Burrows Grad."

 

"Saudade is a Portuguese expression that is almost untranslatable. The best 

way to describe it is: the presence of absence. It is a longing for someone or 

something that you remember fondly but know you can never experience 

again. It is an awareness of the absence of a person or thing, which puts you 

in 

a deep emotional state of sadness. The presence of absence grapples with 

those who should be here but aren’t. It is a form of homesickness and deep 

yearning. You are among thousands of people but none is the one you want to 

be by your side. Saudade is the moment you realize how important people are

 in your life and the moments you have taken for granted."