Fragrant
Life
“Nothing
is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected,
momentary, and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a
lake in the mountains.”
Diane
Ackerman
Our
ability to smell is our oldest and most primitive sense. We actually
have a “nose brain” that sits low, just above the brain stem;
it's part of our mammalian heritage. I'm truly glad we grew a more
complex brain, because I would not like to stick my nose into some of
the things dog-Liza sticks her's into. I do love watching her sniff,
though—her entire body trembles when she's onto an interesting
smell.
I
remember finding one of my father's coats when I was cleaning out
Mother's house. My dad had been gone for twelve years at that point,
but the coat still smelled like him. I had a very hard time letting
it go. Everyone has their own smell, which is one of the reasons I am
not a fan of perfume. It camouflages one's personal scent, which, of
course, is exactly what it was designed to do back in the days when
people did not often bathe. Scent is a critical element in our
response to one another, both positive and negative, whether we are
conscious of it or not.
Our
sense of smell is also one of life's greatest pleasures. Right now on
my walks, the deep sweet fragrance of magnolia blossoms lies heavy in
the air. Honeysuckle is also in bloom—both Southern scents that
take one instantly back to childhood summers. We are imprinted with
certain smells that we can pull up from memory even when they are
nowhere near. A favorite scent memory for me is sweet grass in bloom
in the North Carolina mountains. Heavenly! I also remember the smell
of the boxwood hedge that surrounded my great-aunts' house in
Murphy. Slightly sour, woody, earthy and entirely distinct. I'll bet
you, too, have some favorite memories of smells that connect you to a
particular time and place.
This
would be a good day to tune into your sense of smell, and appreciate
what a rich role it plays in your enjoyment of life. From the whiff
of your first cup of coffee, to the scent of your lover, or your
grand-baby, pay attention to this particular gift from God.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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