The Fragrance of God

What exactly is nostalgia, especially as it relates to a particular place? Why do you get that feeling in the pit of your stomach that is both pleasant and unpleasant simultaneously when you "go back?" I am continually fascinated by the phenomenon of going back to a place where something significant happened in my life and experiencing this feeling of nostalgia. I don't believe it is just emotional floatsam which is irrelevant. Somehow I believe it is more substantial than that - almost like a sweet wound of the soul that marks something important. Even though our bodies play a role in detecting the "place" through our senses - once detected our souls bend down and take a deep drink of the place and our minds are brought instantly "back there." We recall the lesson learned, the love found (or lost), the hope engendered (or dashed) in a profound way and it warms our hearts somehow, even when unpleasant. Maybe I'm fascinated by the experience mainly because I'm disconnected from my heart so much of the time. Maybe this "nostalgia" is a long, distant memory of what Adam experienced in the Garden as he walked with God in the cool of the evening. That is, maybe nostalgia is the fragrance of God that lingers in all the places we encounter Him along the way.