Now, that old adage usually applies to the feeling of someone about a loved one who has been away for some time.
In the case of the Villa faithful and Gareth Barry it applies to a mere one game absence.
But, this was no small game and the difference without the dynamic England star was massive. Villa were dumped out of the F.A. Cup at Goodison Park in rather lethargic fashion and Barry's replacement Steve Sidwell really failed to show.
The ginger ninja was apparently brought in last summer to replace Barry, who was infamously targeted by Liverpool.
But, if the Everton debacle showed anything, it was that Sidwell isn't and never will be good enough to replace Villa's talisman.
Without Barry, the Claret and Blue lacked nous and invention.
Barrage
Yes, they had their chances, but Barry brings energy and leadership from the centre of midfield and that was where Villa were really lacking.
Spanish magician Mikel Arteta conducted the game in the first half and, although Stiliyan Petrov was on form, even he couldn't stop the blue barrage on his own.
Sidwell's only real contribution was to give away a first half penalty with a silly challenge and the match didn't do him any favours in his search for a regular starting spot.
It cannot be forgotten that Sidwell has had some good games for Villa this season; he has definitely played his part in helping them into the top four of the Premier League. But good is the operative word, Barry can be great.
Many fans said Villa could do without him when Rafa Benitez attempted a swoop last summer. They said that he wasn't that important and that he was a traitor. Some even said that he hadn't been showing his best form for a while.
But Barry is not a man who likes to grab the headlines. He is a shy and reserved man who does his talking on the pitch, much like Paul Scholes.
Expressions
Fans may point at his coming out in criticism of the club and of Martin O'Neill, but anyone with experience of football could see that his agent played a large part in that.
Even if it was all Barry, which is doubtful, he was entitled to want a new challenge after spending almost his entire career with Villa. But, in the end, he stayed and his performances have been admirable.
He is still as committed to the cause as ever; his celebrations of recent goals have shown that. At Blackburn, his delight at James Milner's opening goal was extremely evident.
With Barry, his facial expressions paint the real picture. He will now be hoping that a grin is a firm feature for the remainder of the season, starting with CSKA Moscow on Wednesday.
Villa fans will never have been so grateful to see their skipper (in the absence of Martin Laursen) back.
Sidwell will have to make do with a place on the sidelines and his chance will come again. Hopefully, though, his future opportunities won't occur because Barry is banned, injured or in fact sold.