In the native language of Wales, Alaska, there are about 70 terms for ice, such as: “utuqaq,” the ice that lasts from year to year; “siguliaksraq,” the patchwork layer of crystals that forms as the sea begins to freeze; and “auniq,” the ice that is filled with holes, like Swiss cheese. It would be helpful if Americans had as many words for their emotions. One of the problems with talking about the special sadness that happens in retirement is that we just don’t have the words.
unhappy, sorrowful, dejected, regretful, depressed, downcast, miserable, downhearted, down, despondent, despairing, disconsolate, out of sorts, desolate, bowed down, wretched, glum, gloomy, doleful, dismal, blue, melancholy, mournful, woeful, woebegone, forlorn, crestfallen, broken-hearted, heartbroken, inconsolable, grief-strickenFrankly, these don’t get to much of the nuance of sadness that comes from different things, so I am going to make some up!
Missing the things you used to do - disaction
Missing things things you used to do that you hated - dismalaction
Feeling like an alien in a place you used to be comfortable - geocholic
Remembering good times you had with people who are dead or completely gone - ghostache (rhymes with cake)
Sadness with no clear focus - disparation
Sadness that is tinged with anger at the unfairness of something - sangry
Missing who you used to be - retrospondent
Missing an old situation you know was unjust - reminonsense
The sad recognition that there are things you thought you wanted to do that just are not going to happen, a wistfulness for the unachieved - wistalgia (Grace Caputo)
Sadness from saying 'no' to something you want to do but can't - Nyetia
Sadly wondering if someone is dead - quorting
The sad process of making up words because you can't remember the right regular one - lexilorn
If you have any others, drop me a line.