Which word do I need ?

[Galant]

Torn

[peterb]

Love - because that will be your emotion going with them and supporting them, even though you can't be there.

[Zak33]

I've not explained myself properly... my fault.

Work Colleague 1: " My kid has gone to see the NASA space centre"
Work Colleague 2: " Bet you're jealous that you're not there with him?"
Work Colleague 1: " How can I be jealous of my own child.... I sent him because it's his dream"
Work Colleague 2: " But don 't you want to be there too....?"
Work Colleague 1: " I'd love to be there.. but can't afford to go so I'm not"

So... if not jealousy... or Envy... what is it?

Or IS it envy... ?

[Smudger]

I'd say it's envy.

[Zak33]

is there a loving, non aggressive .. non -negative envy word?

[Zak33]

Envy is close .. isn't it?

[neonplanet40]

Envy can imply both negative and positive meanings based on the tone used. It is as close as your going to get I'm afraid.

[Mama Sumae]

Perhaps Longing (as in strong desire for something)?

Such as "The knight longed to command the respect of a king" or "the young man longed to sail like his father"

Somehow like envy but in a positive manner (you wish to experience it too but not take it away).

[SeriousSam]

Word usage note I dug up - jealousy is reflective of a person's feelings or attitudes toward another person, whereas envy expresses a person's feelings or attitudes toward another person's advantages or accomplishments; jealousy pertains to emotional rivalry while envy is resentment of a more fortunate person. So envy is a negative in terms of usage, however how you let it affect you can be both positive and negative.

Nearest I can think of is "Mudita" - It is especially sympathetic or vicarious joy, the pleasure that comes from delighting in other people's well-being / happiness / accomplishments rather than begrudging it.

However, as it's a Buddhist mental state I'm not sure it has a an English usage per se.

[rover214]

Work Colleague 2: " But don 't you want to be there too....?"
Work Colleague 1: " I'd love to be there.. but can't afford to go so I'm not"

Disappointment, IMO

[Zak33]

Mudita,...... genius

I shall riposte with it on the Morrow

[MadduckUK]

Nearest I can think of is "Mudita" - It is especially sympathetic or vicarious joy, the pleasure that comes from delighting in other people's well-being / happiness / accomplishments rather than begrudging it.

congratulatory

[Dingo]

Perhaps wistful would best sum it up?

"full of yearning or desire tinged with melancholy"

[Zak33]

WISTFUL ENVY....

oh good work

[Tumble]

I would have said yearning nyself.. maybe wistful yearning....

[Rave]

I was gonna go with wistful too. Though it's more wistful joy than wistful envy I'd say.