You keep dreaming you're back there

#Homesickness • #Grief & Loss • #Re-entry — Return Again Inc.

You wake up and, for a few seconds, you're still there — the sounds outside the window, the faces of your team, the rhythm of a day that felt like home. Then you remember where you are. You keep dreaming you're back there, and waking up hurts a little every time.

Homesickness for the field is one of the most tender parts of coming home, and one people rarely expect. You're not just missing a place; you're missing a version of your life and the people who filled it — teammates who became family, neighbors who defined your days. Loving them deeply is exactly why the missing runs so deep. This kind of longing is a testament to a life well-invested, not a sign you're ungrateful to be home.

“Homesickness for the field isn't a lack of gratitude. It's the echo of love — proof that you gave your heart to real people in a real place.”

You can love where you were and still fully arrive where you are.

Don't push the memories away. Talk about them freely; loving your old home doesn't diminish your new one. Stay in touch with the people who shaped you, even across time zones. Keep photos where you'll see them, and let yourself feel the ache without shame. Two homes can live in one heart. Over time, the dreams soften from grief into gratitude.

At Return Again, we understand the heart that carries two homes at once. Find support for your journey at https://www.returnagain.org/.