Smelling Memories

I'm not sure if some of you also experience this, but certain smells do bring back memories to me.  Some strong smells remind me of events, other subtle smells just places or people.   There are other scents that even evoke childhood memories.

The smell of fried eggs in the morning sometimes reminds me of the vacation we spent in Mindanao, when I was just 6 years old. I remember waking up early in the morning and seeing the farm animals, which were so novel to me then.  I swear that sometimes I could recall even the odor of the carabao that was being brought to pasture.

When I pass by old houses made of wood, the smell they emit reminds me of the one where my father grew up. It was an old house that has long been demolished to give way to a concrete structure.  I have fond memories of the birthday parties and reunions celebrated in that old house.  Even the aroma of ground coffee beans make me remember that house because my father's grandfather used to sell ground coffee in his store.  If anybody asks me, I can still draw from memory how that house looked like inside.

Whenever I go out of town, especially in rural areas, the scent of grass in the morning brings back memories of my college days.  The university I went to was at the foot of a mountain so mornings there greeted us with the smell of grass damp with morning dew.  Sometimes, that scent even makes me smile.

The fragrance of perfume also makes me remember places, events and people. One particular perfume often brings back high school memories.  Perhaps because that perfume was so popular when I was in high school.  I don't remember the name of that particular product but it was fruity and sweet.

Who would ever thought that the nose could be such a great recorder of memories.