Books
Farewells can be shattering, but returns are surely worse. Solid flesh can never live up to the blind shadow cast by its absence.
— Margaret Atwood ‧ The Blind Assassin
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
Leaving someone can break you, but the speaker claims coming back is worse. Someone's physical presence can't match the shadow they left behind, because absence lets imagination build them into something the real, solid person can't live up to.
Context reviewed