I was reading the mangas for the first time (the first ones) and was overcome with a sense of sadness for Urahara. If you remember this Chapter[1] (specifically this page) or this episode, as it was in both, you'd understand now, why it's so sad. Urahara can't return home... and he really wants to! He was unjustly banished, and now can't go back to his family... *tear*