Sunday, February 9, 2014

What's in a smell?

Smell is most definitely my strongest sense.  Smells for me are tied to memories and moods.  I have about 20 candles in my house, divided into seasons, that I light depending on my mood, on how I want to feel.  I've been missing spring and summer these past few weeks so I've been lights some spring and summer scents, Sun N Sand and Summer Wish from Yankee Candle.  I own about the same amount of perfume and body sprays, not quite as many body washes, but there's more than one person needs.  I choose how to smell based on my mood that day.  Am I angry or annoyed I will choose a darker muskier scent, if I'm feeling happy I will choose something light and romantic.

There is a Bath and Body Works scent my ex mother in law wore that I also like which I thought was nice at the time.  After my divorce I threw out that body spray swearing never to wear that scent even though I still liked in.  A few weeks ago I bought the body wash not remembering at all and not needing to smell since I remembered the scent but not the association.  This morning in the shower I opened up and the memories can rushing back.  I thought I can get over this by now... nope... it haunted me all day, and all I used was a dab.

Every store I went in to today to shop I could smell my ex mil.  One woman I'm pretty sure had the same perfume she used to wear and I freaked out... because what if she was in the same store, what would I do.  Another store I smelt it again.  Did this sense of smell come from having that body wash scent on me?  I don't know, but I'm not going to find out.  I remember the detergent she used, won't ever buy that or anything that smells like it.

On the other hand, every once in a while when I use baby powder, it reminds me of my dad, but not every time... it's weird.  The smell or blueberries and raspberries brings me back to the sleep away camp I went to where we picked those same berries.


Side note... when I shop for clothes or walk through a department store, I have to touch and feel the clothes.

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