Yearning

So when does one draw the line between a sense of deprivation and a sense of yearning? Or is it deprivation that drives the yearning for something that quite possibly eludes your grasp? When I allow myself to slip into the 'think about the good times' mode, I don't feel so much of an emptiness as a strong yearning for what I miss so dearly: pounding miles of granite road and sweating a good sweat and feeding on an overdose of endorphins much later; walking and exploring places on weekends aimlessly; devouring a good novel and becoming intoxicated with words; gliding through water laps after laps under the flood of sunshine; dumbing your brains watching TV (an unproductive but wholly satisfying activity); and perhaps a lot, a lot more. Most importantly, it's the sense of peace and equanimity that is so important in life that is proving harder to maintain as one gets older and burdened with more responsibilities.