Smell is a potent wizard that transports us across thousands of miles
and all the years we have lived.
~ Helen Keller
Last weekend, Greg, the girls and I went to visit our parents. My Mom recently had knee replacement surgery and I had not been able to see her since she had gotten home from rehab. I was anxious to see how she looked and how the recovery was going. The first thing I noticed when she answered the door was how rested and beautiful she looked. Then, when I went in for a big hug, the smell of Burberry, Mom’s perfume, comforted me in a way I can’t really explain. A little bit emotional, I immediately let her know I couldn’t believe how well she was getting around…already going up and down stairs….I was impressed!
Mom and I Christmas Eve, a couple days before surgery.
Greg took the girls over to his Mom and Dad’s house so that I could have some one on one time with Mom (Mr. B is a wonderful, thoughtful husband) and spend the night. We spent time talking about how she had been feeling, getting Christmas decorations down and put away in the basement ( I made Mom sit in a chair and tell me what to doJ), watching the Cardinals play in the snow outside her kitchen window, and I took notes while I watched Mom and my Step Dad, Joe make “The Roast”.
Outside Mom's kitchen window. See the Cardinals?
When we sat down to eat, the aroma of the Roast and Vegetables as well as the taste, transported me back to my childhood and the security you get from a home cooked meal made with love. That night when I went to bed, looking around the guest room, I was given the inspiration for this post. I thought about Mom's hug from earlier that day and how just the smell of her perfume made me feel like she was okay. I started thinking about how we get the feeling of being secure via our senses. I thought about when I was in 1st grade, I would take my Mom’s empty Revlon “Coffee Bean” lipstick container to school in my pocket. If I would start to miss her or feel upset, I would take it out and smell it. Immediately, I would feel better.
Then there is Pond’s Cold Cream that my Mom would put on every night to take off her make-up….to this day, when I smell Pond’s, it comforts me. When I was growing up, my Dad had a shaving kit that he kept at the end of his dresser. It was off limits to the 6 girls in the house, Ha! Dad kept his own stash of toiletries in there and I remember sneaking to use his toothpaste. The first thing I would smell when I unzipped the brown leather bag was Old Spice Aftershave…I visited him not too long ago and he still uses Old Spice. My Dad also listened to talk radio, 840AM, all the time….he still does and I do too. When I am missing my Dad, I turn on talk radio or Bluegrass music. He always had the radio on when we were at home. Dad listened to a variety of music; I guess that’s where I get my love for music.
I wonder what the girls will associate with their Dad and I. Olivia did an assignment at school a few years ago where the students had to choose and describe their favorite place to be....she chose her home. I framed it and put it in our kitchen.
What do you remember from your childhood that still comforts you today?
