Noscaria

Original Post by Silvia Hartmann Thu Nov 06, 2025: 

I keep having to create neologisms aka make up words because that which I want to describe doesn't have a word yet. The latest is noscaria. Nostalgia (nostos - return home, algos - pain) is homesickness, literally, which is a thing; but remembering specific Star Moments of the past is entirely another. Instead of pain, it brings great joy. Hence nóstos (homecoming) + charis (grace, pleasing joy) = “graceful return to self" = noscaria.

Why bother?

Because nobody wants to live in a world where your only option is to think of the better past days and start crying as you experience nostalgia.

BTW. You can collapse nostalgia depression (the beautiful garden I played in as a child is now a car park) by doing noscaria instead, i.e. focusing on one particular memory rather than conflating them into an overwhelming tsunami: "I remember that moment when I first saw a hedgehog." That's #noscaria

I decided on the word because to an English reader it evokes "no scares, no scars" which is really rather perfect for #StarMatrix .