Do not mistake a person’s quieter return for a lack of gratitude to be back.

Homecomings are often flatter than everyone expected. Someone back from hospital, deployment, travel or a long absence may be tired, disoriented or holding something they cannot explain yet, and the muted arrival gets read as disappointment with the welcome. Feeling is not always available on the day it is wanted; the quiet version is frequently the deepest one, arriving later and in private.

If someone comes back subdued, let the reunion be small and give it a few days. Ask nothing about how it feels until they raise it themselves.