Smell

That word is kind of funny. Smmmmmmeeeeeeeelllllllll. When someone asks you to smell something, there is always that hesitation-is it a good or bad smell? I love good smells. They are a memory trigger for me. It's where all of sudden this smell hits your nostrils and memories come to the forefront. If you think about it, all those scented candles you can buy, your choice to buy may have been influenced by a memory it evoked.

My first memory of smell was of my dad's father wanting to smell my curls. As a child, I had a head full of curly hair. Every time the family would go over to my father's parents, the first thing my grandad would say to me was "Come over here and let me smell those curls." He'd hug me tight and bury his nose in my head and inhale deeply. It always made me feel good. A good hug and an acceptance smell. Once I turned 30 I told him to stop. No, just a joke, he died while I was still a young child unfortunately. This is where I got my love of smells from-no doubt.

If you have ever been around babies, well, is there anything better than a good smelling baby? I'm talking right after you bathe them and put some baby powder on them and some baby lotion in their hair and they are so cute. I can't hold a baby without giving them a smell down. Their innocence with good smells is a knockout combination. When I smell baby powder now, I can flashback in my mind to moments with my two sons.

Everybody has their own distinct smell. It may be manufactured with lotions or colognes, but, it is unique to the person. Hence, not all fragrances smell great on all people. There is a movie called "Perfume" that tells the story of smells and scents very well. In it, there is like an ultimate perfume made from the essence of others that leads to the destruction of the creator. Bizarre movie but very good story. We all make judgements about people based on their smell. If someone stinks or has an unpleasant odor, we tend to have a negative opinion about them. If they wear too much perfume, the same can be said.

My significant other once dated a man who could not stand smells of any sort. This I cannot imagine. To me the five senses are to be embraced and not reduced to an aversion. In my opinion, he is a nut case with more deeper seeded neurosis's than meets the nose. I, on the other hand, love to smell my significant other. Yes, I hug her and inhale deeply just like my grandfather did before me. Thank goodness she tolerates it. It helps my memory when I haven't seen her for a while. How about clothes? Haven't you picked up a shirt that has been worn by someone and still smell them on it?

I haven't talked about bad smells because they are just bad. They do nothing for me. I appreciate that I can distinguish good from bad smells, otherwise I may purchase Ode de Dog Poop candles and offend everyone in my house. But, bad smells do not emotional touch me. It's more of a physical alert. I love going into the Yankee Candle shop in Williamsburg. They have hundreds of scents that they replicate that are great fun to smell. And, yes, they do bring back memories.

Well, to smell is to live to me. I love new smells as well as memory inducing old ones. I'm grateful I can smell. Why do I have this strong desire to smell? I guess nobody really nose:)

Keith