Sensory Remembrance

Smell is such a odd thing. One whiff can take you back to any moment in your life. I once spent an entire summer trying to figure out what I was smelling that reminded me of being at my Aunt's house.

Strangest are the times that a scent reminds me not of an specific event, but instead, a time period in my life. I inhale and suddenly the feeling of being a completely different person washes over me; the person I was 6 months ago, hopeful for happiness while beginning a new relationship, the girl I was 5 years ago, who at 26 knew she wasn't where she was meant to be but was too scared to change anything, the teenager I was in high school, all awkward and uncomfortable in my own skin, ready and impatient for real life to start.

These experiences catch me off guard and feel vaguely out of body. They always make me smile though ....regardless of the time period. Nostalgia has a way of softening hard times so that later on when they flash through, they don't hurt as much.