Friday, February 9, 2007

Memories by Smell

Today, I was washing my hands in the ladies room while a co-worker was washing out her coffee cup. And I smelled something I remember...
It was the exact scent of my grandmother's coffee that I remember when I was a little girl. She would sit at the kitchen table every morning with her cup of coffee and the newspaper and I can't remember what she put in the coffee, but it has an aroma that I will never forget.

Smelling my co-workers coffee may sound strange, but I have found that our sense of smell can be a powerful thing. In that one moment in the bathroom today, smelling my co-workers coffee I was taken back 20 years to when I would sit next to my grandmother while she would read the paper and scribble out a grocery list all in capital letters, I never knew why, but her grocery list was always written in printed caps with a mechanical pencil. I remembered the soft flowery scent of her robe from her bubble bath, the feel of the sturdy wooden chairs that we sat on. How is it possible that after almost 12 years after she was left this earth, I can recall all things as if they happened yesterday from the smell of someone's coffee? How can that hole in my heart, that I thought had healed, feel so raw and open today?

My father once told me " that sometimes the things that don't kill us, don't make us stronger, they just don't kill us". Some days, that phrase makes an immense amount of sense to me, but other days it makes me sad, that there might not be magic or powers with in the universe that watch out for us. I like to believe that we are never given challenges that we are not able to overcome. I also like to think that my father speaks good sense in remembering our limitations but I like to think, I might just be invincible. It's not always probable but ANY thing is possible.

Sometimes, days like today, make me want for the past, but it also reminds me to pay attention to the present, so in the future, I will remember those everyday, ordinary moments that can bring memories crashing back so real you can touch them.

Writing my thoughts really does help me think my emotions out, that is a good feeling. Do you know what else brings out good feelings...
Getting a package from your Secret Pal!
I will post about my spoils this weekend, with photos!
If you are reading this SP, It is SO WONDERFUL! I LOVE IT!
Thank you,Thank you,Thank you!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

What a lovely post, llamabean! I'm glad you got the package and that you like it!