What makes you feel nostalgic?
Nostalgia is a phantom limb, a sensation that persists long after the source is gone. It can conjure the taste of a candy that no longer exists, the echo of a laughter that has faded, the warmth of a sun that set long ago.
For me, that phantom taste is Goody Goody. Not just any caramel, but those small, chewy rectangles wrapped in that distinctive, orange wrapper. They’ve vanished now, those sweet rectangles of my Nairobi childhood, lost to the whims of time and changing tastes. But the memory persists, a ghost of flavor that lingers on the tip of my tongue.
And with it comes a flood of other sensations. The flickering images of “21 Jump Street” on a crackling TV screen, those undercover cops navigating the turbulent waters of high school while battling real-world problems. Their unity, their cool, and that undeniably catchy theme song – pure 80s magic that still resonates today.
Of course, “21 Jump Street” wasn’t the only show that held us captive. “Neighbours,” with its endless sunshine and suburban drama, offered a glimpse into a world far removed from our own. “Family Matters” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” brought laughter and life lessons into our living rooms, each episode a reminder that family, friendship, and a good laugh could conquer anything.
But woven through these memories is a deeper longing, a yearning for the lost innocence of childhood. That time when the world was a canvas painted in vibrant hues of trust and optimism. When people were inherently good, motives were pure, and laughter came easily.
It’s a feeling that persists like the faint scent of jacaranda blossoms on a warm Nairobi evening, a reminder of a time when joy was as simple as unwrapping a Goody Goody (if only we still could), singing along to a catchy theme song, or believing in the unwavering goodness of the world around us. Even though the candy is gone, the sweetness of those memories remains.
