...But sadly, for thousands of people it's a reality they are coping with every day.
Every two minutes a person is reported as missing and each year 250,000 go missing - 140,000 of those are children.
Girls are more likely to go missing in the under 18 age bracket, but once people reach adulthood it's more likely to be men. And latest figures have shown a rise of three per cent year on year - though it hasn't been established why.
Fortunately, most of the missing are found safe and well within 48 hours. But about 2,500 aren't and for their families the agony is relentless.
A deputy director of Missing Persons Clare Cook tells Closer: "When people go missing it's a unique sort of pain – there's no closure. And because it's so unusual, people find it hard to react to your loss and it's very isolating.
"There is always something painful going on in the lives of those that go missing. Even when people return - and most do within 48 hours - it isn't always easy to readjust. But at least then you know your loved one is still alive."
It's something Terrie Beardsley, 46, yearns for. Her husband of 13 years Tim, 48, went missing four years ago on 9 July 2012.
Terrie, who works in financial services and lives in Chesterfield, says: "It's horrible living in limbo, I just want answers. Tim was having problems with work and we were concerned he was depressed.
"But I never dreamed he'd just walk out of the door and not come back. I'd give anything to know what's happened to him."
The Missing People helpline, which is supported by players of People's Postcode Lottery, is for free, 24/7 and confidential: you can call or text 116 000.
Read the rest of this story in Closer magazine - out today.
Related articles: