Most people strive to leave their starting point, perhaps driven by a desire to explore the outside world, to go to school, to work, to travel. Our radius keeps expanding, and our perspective keeps opening up. No matter where we are, deep down inside, we always miss that initial warm place.
Later on, all memories have become blurry, transformed into a source of power.
Having traveled a long way, been to many places, perhaps wanting to find a piece of fertile land that belongs to oneself, subconsciously searching for cultural identity. There is always a sense of familiarity, familiar taste, similar scenes, reminding us of our original selves. However, once we leave, we will never go back. The wheels of time keep rolling forward, and when we return to our hometown, it is no longer the way we remember it. Both our hometown and ourselves are growing.
The newspaper stand on the street corner, the old man selling ice cream, have long disappeared in time, even those best friends have been worn down by life, adding wrinkles and experiences. Where is the hometown? Every one of us has homesickness, a deep cultural homesickness. Deep down, we are still the same as before. After crossing mountains and rivers, we have quietly assimilated into different cultures.
Leaving is for the purpose of returning, I just want to see the original me, is it still okay?
And this time, leaving is a farewell. The hometown exists eternally there, but the hometown in our hearts can never be returned to.