Do You Smell That?

As long as I can remember, smells have had an influence on me and my mood. I don't know what it is about them that impacts me so much, but I know that I am highly effected. Most of these smells are those that we all experience: newly mowed grass, freshly baked bread, clean sheets on the bed, and the inside of a brand-new car. These are all wonderful and I love it every time they come to me. But there are other smells that have an even greater effect on me.

When I was growing up, my Grandma Gert lived in a neighborhood just south and east of Seattle University. This was, as we said in those days, a "Negro neighborhood". We had always been taught to be equally respectful to African-Americans in those days and we were. Anyway, two doors north of my Grandma's big house was a store. It was a neighborhood store. It was owned by a black family that lived in the back of the store. Every time we visited Grandma Gert, we would go there with our pennies and try to buy gum and candy. I cannot describe the smell in the store to anyone else; I just know when it comes to me. And when it does, I am immediately transported back to age 8 and being in that store. It was a wonderful smell! And a wonderful feeling!

Another one usually happens to me in late February or maybe early March. There will come a day, when a smell outdoors comes to me. It is very distinctive, yet very mild. It is the smell of baseball.It does not smell like a ball or glove or bat. It smells like Spring; maybe some new blooms bring it about or maybe the smell of wet soil. I don't know from where it comes. I just know it when it comes and I love it!

One of the biggest ones for me are the many smells of the city. I experienced this when I was young and would occasionally take the bus into downtown Seattle. I also experienced it when I visited New York City, only stronger. It isn't just one smell, but all the smells; dirt, exhaust, urine, food smell from the inside of a restaurant as one passes by, smell of salt water, garbage, etc. Now some of these are not pleasant smells. But that is just it; these smells still effect me. They are part of the experience and the place and the time and the surroundings. Just like life.

Life is a whole, an entity. Part of it is wonderful, beautiful and so exciting. Other parts are sad, depressing, sick, twisted, perverted. Yet, these are still parts of life and are every bit as important in our experiences as some of the most wondrous events.

I love all the smells. My very favorite, which triggered this BLOG, occurred last night. It has happened to me every year that I can remember. I walked outside to get in the car and it happened. There is a smell in the air, maybe even just a sense or a feeling, but it is definitely there. I can feel Christmas!!! I love Christmas so much and even at my "advanced" age, I still anticipate it like a child! The cold air, the smell of the cold, the crisp feeling, the lights, the memories of family events and Christmas seasons past, and so much more.

During my childhood, my family was very poor; welfare, second and third-hand clothes and toys, not many friends, etc. The usual. Even so, we still had some hope at Christmas that we might get something new and special. And sometimes, we did. But there were smells even then. It was just "in the air", I guess. I wish I had better words to describe it.

I guess this is now the beginning of the holiday season for me. And the high point will be Christmas Eve service at church, particularly if it is the 11:00 PM service, as this is what the custom was when I was young. Plus, as kids, we got to open our Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve right after church.

I was born on Christmas Day and I have always loved all of the build up to that day. Not so much because of my birthday alone (although I did think it was pretty important!!). But because of the smells; all the joy, all the anticipation, all the closeness and so forth. It was something I could smell.

Now that THE season has begun, I am going to try very hard to share all "my smells" with everybody, because that is what you all deserve!!!