Comments on: Stop and Smell The Memories

By: judy berna

judy berna — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 00:15:01 +0000

I was just telling my kids last week how I’d said yes when their dad proposed to me because of the way he smelled that night – campfire smoke. He’d been on a camp out retreat and as he sauntered into my dorm room that night (ring in his pocket) I knew this was the man for me, by that wonderful, woody smell.
My other ‘smemory’ is of my grandmothers house in Dallas. Every summer I’d visit her alone, to have time away from my huge, crazy family. Her house always smelled a certain way but as a child I never could place it. Then, as an adult, I walked into my friend’s basement and exclaimed, “That SMELL! What’s that SMELL? That’s my grandma’s house smell…!”
My friend smiled and said, “hate to break it to you, that’s the smell of moth balls.”
Oh well, its the memory it triggers, right?

Judy
justonefoot.blogspot.com

By: Channa

Channa — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:31:06 +0000

A certain cologne/cigar combo and I immediately start looking for my (deceased) pop-pop. Thanks for the shout out

By: John S.

John S. — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:36:22 +0000

Emily – great post. A friend of mine calls these smells of people or places “smemories”. I think the sense of smell is the most underrated sense. Certain smells can’t help you but feel happy – a new baby smell, the beach, popcorn, fresh baked cookies….

By: Tracie Schneider

Tracie Schneider — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:45:53 +0000

My much-loved Aunt Mil had a pantry in her kitchen that had a wonderful smell – probably a mixture of all the foods she had in it – that I can still remember as clearly as if I were standing with my head in the pantry. It’s been almost 40 years since I smelled it, but it doesn’t make a bit of difference. And, as much as I hate to admit it, Aramis cologne=first husband. I can catch a whiff of it in a crowd and have instantaneous flashback memories, some of which I’d rather forget!

By: Kristen @ Motherese

Kristen @ Motherese — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:24:48 +0000

For some reason cafeteria food is a big memory trigger for me. Whenever I smell institutional cooking, I’m transported back to elementary school. The smell of Pampers Swaddlers diapers is another one. My boys are too big for them snow, but the whiff of them in the store brings me back to sleepless nights and endless snuggles.

By: jennifer

jennifer — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:32:31 +0000

I don’t know if it’s still being made, but there used to be a perfume called White Shoulders. It was the signature and overpowering scent of a dress shop in my hometown called Gibson’s Boutique. I recently sniffed an old bottle of White Shoulders in an antique store and was instantly a teenager again, looking at all the prom dresses in Gibson’s, wondering when and if anybody would ever ask ME out.

By: kim s

kim s — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:10:00 +0000

Boxwood trees remind me of my Grampy. And the smell of a carpenter’s shop or freshly sawed wood will always remind me of my dad and my Grampy.

And I absolutely LOVE Old Spice. Cheap or not, it drives me wild!! (In a good way).

By: Qualitytime

Qualitytime — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:20:12 +0000

Oh my goodness-That is so funny you should write about this today. Over the weekend I was at my mother in law’s house. For whatever reason, it smelled exactly like it did when I was there for the first time after I had just met Jeff- it was in 1993 and I could remember it like it was yesterday. It was such a strange, happy memory that just hit me out of the blue. All because of the smell.