You don't know what you've got til it's gone

I seem to identify periods of time in my life as chapters once they're over, or at least as they're coming to an end. Before that it's just what I'm doing, how I'm living. But as soon as that set up is threatened with closure, it suddenly becomes a tangible episode in the story of my life, open to reminiscence, nostalgia and labelling. Firstly the current chapter is wrapped up and the process of transition to a new one begins. Then I'm in the new chapter and stories start "do you remember that time in Rose Hill Terrace..." or "When I was in halls..." and suddenly the old chapter has a title. I find it quite bittersweet and melancholy.