In a column published in El País on November 1, 2026, a writer reflects on the absence of friends who are no longer alive. The text does not contain verifiable data such as dates, names, events, or statistics, but rather focuses on an emotional experience: the mental image of deceased friends performing everyday actions in the present.<\/p>
The Game of Memory
The author expresses a sense of closeness that arises when imagining his deceased friends performing the same actions they did in the past, in a specific environment. The location, age, type of relationship, or social context of the friends is not mentioned; the author only asserts that the act of imagining them performing a daily activity grants them an apparent presence in the present.<\/p>
This mental exercise is not fiction, but a way of maintaining an emotional connection. The physical absence of the friends is contrasted with the symbolic presence constructed through imagination. The author states that it "amuses" him to imagine them, suggesting a blend of nostalgia and emotional pleasure, without indicating whether this image is conscious, recurrent, or structured.<\/p>
The Absence as a Space for Reflection
The text does not offer a chronology or a sequence of events. It does not specify when the deaths occurred, nor does it mention the time that has passed since then. The absence of temporal data allows the focus to remain in the present, where the act of imagining deceased friends becomes a daily practice.<\/p>
In this sense, absence is not a void, but a space filled with memories, assumptions, and mental scenes. The author does not seek to explain why he feels this way, but rather that imagining his friends performing daily actions is a way of keeping them alive in his consciousness. This practice differs from traditional memory, which is based on concrete recollections, because here the focus is more abstract and symbolic.<\/p>
The Present as a Stage for Absences
The text does not mention any specific action that the friends might have performed. No activity, place, or shared moment is described. However, the act of imagining them "doing the same things they did on this side" implies a continuity of behavior, a repetition of habits that remain in the author's mind.<\/p>
This detail is key: the author does not imagine his friends in a different environment, but in the same space that occupies now. The phrase "on this side" suggests a geographical or social location that the author considers as the reference point of his current life. This indicates that the present is constructed around a line of division between what was and what is.<\/p>
The emotion of memory
The tone of the text is personal and reflective, without factual assertions or empirical data. The number of friends who have passed away is not mentioned, nor is the type of relationship specified. The author does not seek a historical narrative, but rather an emotional expression that resonates with readers who have also lost close people.
The emotion conveyed is that of a persistent connection, even if physical. The fact that the author enjoys imagining their friends in everyday actions reveals a form of emotional resistance against death. It is not a claim that the friends are alive, but rather that their presence remains in thought and imagination.
Memory as a daily practice
The text does not offer a psychological theory or an empirical study on how people remember their loved ones. However, its approach suggests that memory is not limited to past recollections, but can manifest in actions imagined in the present.
This type of practice is common in cultures that value affective connection through remembrance. Although specific studies are not mentioned, it can be inferred that imagining the deceased in everyday scenarios is a way of maintaining the emotional identity of a relationship.
Limitations of the approach
The original text does not provide verifiable information about the friends mentioned, nor about the social, geographical, or emotional context in which the reflection takes place. It cannot be confirmed whether the deceased friends were part of a specific group, whether they influenced the author, or whether there are data about their lives.
Additionally, there are no references to historical events, mass deaths, diseases, or circumstances that led to the death of the friends. The text remains on a personal level, making it susceptible to subjective interpretation, but also limiting its capacity to be expanded to a broader scenario.
Emotional implications
The fact that the author enjoys imagining their friends in everyday actions suggests a form of emotional acceptance in the face of loss. It is not a denial of death, but rather a way of integrating it into daily life.
This type of reflection can be useful for those who have lost loved ones, as it allows maintaining a symbolic connection with them. Although it cannot be measured how many people share this experience, the text demonstrates that memory can be a tool of emotional resilience.
Absence as a form of presence
The text does not state that friends are physically present, nor that they can be seen or contacted. However, by imagining them doing the same things they used to do in the past, the author creates a kind of symbolic presence. This presence is not physical, but it is emotional and cognitive.<\/p>
The idea that absence can be replaced by a mental image is a universal form of human understanding. Many cultures have developed rituals or practices that allow maintaining a connection with deceased people, such as family remembrance, celebrating special days, or repeating habits.<\/p>
The role of language in memory
The language used in the text is simple and direct. It does not rely on complex metaphors or literary structures that require interpretation. The author chooses a clear expression: "I enjoy imagining them doing the same things they used to do in this part of life."<\/p>
This approach allows the message to be accessible and personal, without the need for a broad context. The language does not aim to persuade, but to communicate a feeling that many readers can recognize, even if they have not lived it themselves.<\/p>
What does the present mean in this context?
The present in the text is not a historical moment, but an emotional space. The author does not refer to a specific date or daily event, but to a feeling that arises when thinking about his friends.<\/p>
This present is the result of a constellation of memories, emotions, and habits that the author has lived. By imagining his friends in action, the author is not creating a fictional story, but reactivating an emotional experience that forms part of his identity.<\/p>
Conclusion: memory as a living act
The text from El País does not offer verifiable data or empirical research, but rather a personal reflection that illuminates how people face loss. Although no names, dates, or specific events are mentioned, the emotional message is powerful and universal.<\/p>
The fact that the author enjoys imagining his friends in daily actions demonstrates that memory is not limited to the past, but can be an active practice in the present. Absence is not a void, but a space filled with images, emotions, and memories.<\/p>
This type of reflection can be a form of healing, of maintaining a connection with those who are no longer present, and of recognizing that life continues, even in different forms. It is not a claim that friends are alive, but that their presence remains in the author's thoughts and heart.<\/p>