The familiar view can feel like a greeting even when nobody knows you have arrived.

Coming back to a place you know produces something like being welcomed, though nobody has done any welcoming. The hill, the row of shops, the shape of a roofline recognise you in the only way a place can, by being unchanged. It is a real comfort, and it does not depend on anybody’s attention.

If you are somewhere without people who know you, look for the view that has kept its shape. Sitting with it for a few minutes can steady an afternoon more than waiting for someone to notice you are back.