...the reason I don't start or often participate in "where is so-and-so? I miss him." threads is because by singling you out, I'm also leaving out everyone else. I think those sorts of threads do more harm than good. That's just my perspective.
So if you've been away and come back to find a "miss you" thread and I didn't post in it, that's why. It isn't that I didn't miss you or that I don't value your presence. I just don't generally "do" those sorts of threads.