It is a popular conception that absence is an antonym of presence.
It seems natural at first thought: all things have an opposite, so naturally the two are at odds and therefore different.
In truth, they are a balance, inextricably intertwined.
Absence only becomes visible with the knowledge of former presence; something or someone not being there (wherever ‘there’ may be) when it used to be, and the awareness of its transition or loss.
Seeing what it leaves behind.
These might be physical traces, like wear on a surface.
Stains, scratches and scuffs.
Or less noticeable, personal traces, such as memories, photos, written records or speculation and assumption.
A bsence is only a concept because of the concept of presence.
It is constructed from these traces.
Athazagoraphobia is the fear of forgetting something or someone, but also the fear of being forgotten.
Being remembered is associated with leaving traces behind after becoming absent, whether in photos, writing, impact, memory or remnants of physical presence. Without these, we would not realise anything was formerly present, and would not conceptualise its absence.
Absence only exists because of presence, and thus is best described through finding, noticing and recording traces of former presence.
Perhaps it could exist in purity without traces.
If we never noticed what was now missing, we would not need it at all.