Remembrance of Things Past

Noxema. Creosote bushes. Tomato plants. The smells of summer every one of them. Noxema - my first purchase of a beauty aid with my own money. I bought it for a trip to Grandma's house and to this day whenever I smell Noxema it reminds me of summer at Grandma's. The characteristic smell of the desert after it rains comes from the creosote bush. Even in sprawling paved metropolis of Phoenix that smell comes out after a hard rain. Some people don't like the smell, but I for one, love it. I miss that smell. I miss the feeling of monsoon season with the tantalizing hint of a warm summer rain. In the desert the rain is something to celebrate, precious because it is rare and life-giving when it comes. The smell of a summer garden will always be the smell of a tomato plant. Tangy, earthy, somehow crisp. It is the smell of promise. New life in the making.

It's amazing that particular smells are able to evoke memories. It's been found (through that science-y research nonsense) that smells are not better able to evoke memories than any of the other senses despite the general perception, but they are more emotionally charged than many other ways to evoke a memory (e.g., a picture, a sound). Smells are intricately linked to the part of our brains that deals with emotion. Smells are fairly unique in that they seem to tap primal feelings of like or dislike, approach or avoid, joy or sadness. Smells resonate within us. Tiny molecules enter our noses and start a cascade of emotions. Amazing. Fascinating. Wonderful. A little bit of therapy.

As a fun exercise, leave a comment about one of your favorite smells or one of the smells that evokes a memory for you. Tell the group what particular memory this smell conjures up for you.