sleeping boy bed

Photo by Cafe Sheri

Last week, you shared your lovely "sense memories" from childhood. Many of them were scents — from the fragrance of roses through the window and your mother's linen closet to the smell of pine incense and low tide. Beautiful...

Scent is a powerful thing, indeed.

The other day when my boys were at school — my oldest in 1st grade and my almost-three-year old "baby" in preschool — I lay down on our bed next to my baby's blanket. Many mornings, he likes to come into our bed just before the sun comes up, his little mini down comforter always in tow.

I'm not sure what compelled me — the quiet, the long day, the intermittent missing of babies scooting around our house, the softness — but I sunk my face into my baby's little blanket. It was cool against my cheek. It smelled like baby and toddler and milk and sleep and diaper and shampoo and my favorite childhood doll and laundry detergent and the future and the present and all the dreams I've ever had for myself and for my children. It was the most delicious smell that has ever been.

There is no way to describe the smell of that blanket, but suddenly I was in tears — in one of those intertwining, perfect happy and sad emotional mama frenzies. My boys are here with me, but every day, they are working toward leaving. Of course, I want both of these things for them equally. Growing up with your family and going your own way are both wonderful aspects of life. But mostly, I am grateful for today — all of us, me, my husband, and our two boys here together, intermingling, and making something as delicious as the smell of that blanket.

The only word that came to mind was "family."

So let's explore the scents that make up our lives a little more. It could be a scent that reminds you of your childhood family or one that wafts wonderful thoughts of your family now. You empty nesters will have quite a bit of family "perfumery" from which to chose.

Tell us the details of one scent that says "family" to you?

 

Related posts:

What's Your Favorite Childhood Sense Memory?

Gee, Your Laundry Smells Terrific!

What's Your Favorite 'Beauty Smell?'