Olfactory in the works this past Friday

[a_natural_beauty]

So while at work this past Friday morning I went into the dining room to get water and ice for my water bottle and while in that room I got a whiff of smells of a certain kind of coffee that brought me back to my childhood - my girl scout days helping serve at pancake breakfast to be exact! I asked the one lady working in there if it was a certain kind of coffee and she said it wasn't. And I've been in there plenty of times before with coffee in the air. I don't even drink coffee - I just like the smell of it from time to time. So I'm not sure why or how it hit me the way it did, but what came rushing back was memories of those days. Pancakes, sausage, coffee, milk, orange juice, creamer, butter, syrup and sounds were now all around me. It made me want to go back to it. I'm still sort of going through the motions as I write this. The days of just helping along side others in my small town at the small firehall where the breakfasts were served for about a month in a half during the late winter/early spring. Cleaning up after costumers, wiping down tables, sweeping floors, setting up for the next group of costumers, selling girl scout cookies when we had them, being amongst my fellow peers, growing up, learning, experiencing... it was a simpler time.
I haven't had this happen much to me but I have read and heard about it. It always sounded like an interesting experience and it was in that moment. Have any of you gone through this?

Comments

[thunderschoen]

I always thought this sounds like a lovely experience. The only thing that I've had that comes close is with perfume, so a bit more "manufactured". There are a couple of perfumes that I can't really wear anymore as they remind me so much of specific times in my life and it feels wrong to wear them. Almost like I'd be stepping out of the present and back into a time I don't belong to anymore, if that makes sense?

[a_natural_beauty]

Yes, that totally makes sense. What scents are they, if you don't mind me asking?

[thunderschoen]

My first ever perfume was Addict by Dior and that reminds me of my teenage years, including my first year of university and my first relationship. They aren't bad memories but it feels like that was my signature scent back then and I don't feel like going back to it.

in2u by Calvin Klein became my hockey perfume back when I was a (very obsessive) hockey fan. I think it started when I wore it for a game when my team won some major trophy. I used to sleep in/with my jersey and I just remember waking up the next day and smelling that perfume and feeling so euphoric.

Besides the associations, I think I have different tastes now!

[a_natural_beauty]

That is interesting! I've heard how our taste buds change every 7 or so years. Maybe that goes for scents, too?

[thunderschoen]

Maybe! I also think it depends what you're exposed to. My first perfumes were just ones that people had bought for me, probably based on their own tastes or whatever was considered popular, etc. Over the past few years, I've taken more of an active interest in perfume so I've done more exploring by myself. So maybe it's also about discovery as well as changing tastes?

[a_natural_beauty]

Oh yes, that is a good point. I like to think we are always evolving and changing as we age. Like a fine wine ;-)

[brisus]

I have had certain smells draw out my memory a few times. When I smell "White Shoulders" lotion/perfume, it reminds me on my grandma and I'm easily transported back to those times.

[a_natural_beauty]

Oh that's neat. Hopefully it's good memories. <3

[frenzy]

I had been given some rosemary essential oil for some reason, and I was going to put it into a bath. instantly I was taken back to a long-distance boyfriend I had from 15-17. His house always smelled like campfire and rosemary. Rosemary, in turn, has become one of my favorite smells.

[a_natural_beauty]

Oh that is interesting! I never thought of the combination of those two working out together, but I'm glad you ended up liking one from it. :)

[littlewolfteeth]

I get that way when I smell horses or horse hay and it's overwhelmingly sad because I really miss that specific time period as well as all the time I spent with my grandma's horses. :( It's a bittersweet thing though, not all around sad.

[a_natural_beauty]

Oh I'm sorry to hear that *hugs*
That does sound complicated.