What is that Smell?

A certain smell can take us to a certain place and time in the past.

My grandma wore Estee Lauder perfume for years. Every time I smell that fragrance it reminds me of all those times I sat next to her in church. She was dressed in her Sunday best and smelled so good. We would sing together sharing a hymnal. During the sermon I would cuddle as close to her as possible. I loved and cherish those memories with her. She was the first to show me what serving like Jesus really meant.

My mom has used Downy fabric softener for years. Every time I smell that fragrance it reminds me of home. Mom did my laundry with love along with everything else she did to take care of me growing up. Truth is that I didn't appreciate it at the time as much as I should have, but today it is something I am reminded of often especially when I am doing my children's laundry. My mom was the first to show me what serving my family really meant.

I was thinking today about what a smell can add to an experience to make it a memory. The smell of baking cookies. The smell of pine needles. So many smells. When we do smell these fragrances, most of the time we aren't really remembering an item but a moment in time.