olfaction
In the recesses of my mind, I think that I have heard that something about the human sense of smell being the strongest of our senses. However, when I think about it, it seems to be the sense that I use the least frequently. Certain smells give me headaches- most colognes and perfumes certainly. In my classroom, I might often be better off without it, especially in May when the air is not on and 23 9th graders have just returned from PE.But, if I had to give up a sense, it would not be my sense of smell. Smells call up memories and feelings for me more quickly than anything else. And spring seems to be the time that has the most olfactory-related memories for me. (Though I'm sure in the midst of autumn, I will say the same thing about it.)
I stepped out of my car the other evening and was overwhelmed by the smell of honeysuckle- memories of playing "baseball" in the front yard with our neighbors after dinner, just before school let out for the summer.
Wisteria, a few nights before Graham graduated from FSU and we drove around Tallahassee with Sam, screaming out the car windows, looking for Henry.
Right after an afternoon rain storm has ended- too many memories to write down or mentally sort through. Most involve camp.
Damp, musty crawl spaces, (sounds gross, but one of my favorite smells ever) riding bikes with my across-the-street neighbor before we started kindergarten.
Burnt marshmellows- Again, summer camp- parading around girls' camp partially clad.
Mmmm, I love spring!!
posted by CP @ 10:24 PM
3 thoughts
3 Comments:
I have to agree with you. Smells bring back more memories for me than any other sense too.
Like, damp cut grass.
Yup, I feel the same way. Did you ever used to think people's houses all have particular "smells"? I do. I can get a whiff of something and it'l instantly put me back in my grandmother's home (camelias) or a friend's house (a certain woodsy smell) or even the home I grew up in (that one I'll never be able to describe.)
BTW, what girls' camp did you attend? I went to Saddle Rock in Mentone, AL, and when it became Riverview I came back as a counselor and eventually head counselor. I miss camp. And s'mores. And afternoon rain showers. And the smell of the tops of trees.
one of the most identifiable smells for me is that of sweaty ice hockey gear. i covered the university of michigan ice hockey team in college, and so was required to enter their lair rather frequently.
in hockey, you sweat a ton, and it all goes into all those pads and, apparently, never goes out. it was pungent, to say the least.
at any rate, miss preston, your post begs the question - if not your sense of smell, which sense would you give up?
i've sometimes thought losing your sense of touch would be so weird. like, have you ever tried walking when your foot was asleep? it's pretty hard and weird.
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