Robert Casey wrote

Somehow I would have thought that light (radio waves) could travel
either direction on the same exact path.

You'd think so, but 'taint so.

And if you spend any time on HF during disturbed solar condx, you will
receive many vivid demonstrations of non-reciprocal/non-symmetrical
propagation paths.

73, de Hans, K0HB
--
There is no voodoo or magic associated with RF
propagation. There are several perfectly sound
technical reasons why it is beneficial to occasionally
sacrifice a goat in your antenna field.