Every now and then my husband will say, “That smell reminds me of Grandma’s house up in the country.” It’s amazing that sometimes even mothballs elicit a nostalgia. But studies show that smell is strongly linked to memory, and thus to our emotional responses to life experiences.
Have you ever thought about the smell of FUN? Revisit your childhood for a moment. What smells, fragrant or foul, instantly take you back? Ah, those were the days:
- a charcoal grill with a splash of lighter fluid
- fresh-cut grass
- the ashes from fireworks
- a mixture of seaweed and saltwater
- Big League Chew bubble gum
- plastic inflatable inner tubes
- a middle school locker room
- cheap, movie theater popcorn
- a new can of tennis balls
- a homemade ice cream shop
Wouldn’t it be great if we could just bottle up some of these and take a whiff when we get bogged down in the trenches of parenthood? Or better yet, why not head off to the park, the movie theater, or the beach? And oh, don’t forget to stop for ice cream on the way!
