"Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived. The odors of fruits waft me to my southern home, to my childhood frolics in the peach orchard. Other odors, instantaneous and fleeting, cause my heart to dilate joyously or contract with remembered grief. Even as I think of smells, my nose is full of scents that start awake sweet memories of summers gone and ripening fields far away.”
― Helen Keller
Born with a very keen sense of smell, I have often joked that it is a blessing and a curse. Smells, odors--which takes a negative connotation-- and aromas--a positive word--all bring back memories, some happy, some sad, and some melancholy.
Today I was modeling writing to my ESL class about "one of my happiest days" and recalled a surprise visit while a college freshman from my father. As a writing teacher, I often model thinking, writing and editing on the board. As I told of the visit and was writing the paragraph, I remembered a smell--the smell of gum that my father chewed--being chewed by a friend. This friend led me to a "meeting" where my daddy was waiting to surprise me. I immediately asked my friend where they got that gum--from my father of course.
For me certain smells bring me instantly to an event, a person, or a place. I walked into a building--Admin Building-- on campus today that I don't often go in. The building has been remodeled since I was a student so the smell is not the same but the small entry way still has that nostalgic smell. I was instantly a college student and the memories of registering, working in the registrars office, and cashing five dollar checks came flooding back.
These memories are all blessings. The curses are there too. Strong smells from a heavy smoker, bad breathe, any body odor--which makes my husband a little paranoid-- all can make me feel sick to my stomach. I can smell seizures too.
My daughter--at the age of fifteen- had a life threatening illness and began to have seizures. At the outset of the first one, I could smell something odd. I began sniffing around her head trying to find the source. She had been in Arkansas Children's Hospital for over 2 weeks and had not been well enough for a real shower. As I sniffed around--as it seemed to be coming form her head, she began to have a seizure. The doctors. and nurses were called and she was moved to a more critical floor. After getting settled, I began to smell it again. Not realizing that smell was related to the seizure, sniffed around again. She began to have another seizure. I immediately remembered that dogs could be trained to detect a seizure--so there must be an odor. After the second seizure, she was moved back to the PICU--where we had started the journey at ACH. The third time I could smell this odor, I called to nurses and doctors for help. They arrived as she was having the third and final seizure. They were there to assist and observe her. The doctor asked me how I knew that the seizure was about to happen because they arrived just before it began. He was perplexed when I said that I could smell it. I can't describe the smell, as it is like nothing else and I hope never to smell it again.
The smell of a sweet baby, flowers in the spring, fresh peaches, Christmas trees, freshly washed hair, early morning soccer fields, clean sheets, and my daddy's favorite gum are some of my very favorites.
"Even as I think of smells, my nose is full of scents that start awake sweet memories of summers gone and ripening fields far away.”
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