Sitting on the tube today, minding my own business, I was caught unawares as a lady sat down next to me who smelt of Fizzers (for those unfortunate enough not to remember these delights, they were small fizzy sweets from about 15 years ago, made by Swizzels, which looked like a roll of pastel-coloured pills - akin to love hearts. Très retro). I was immediately whisked back to days of musical chairs and party bags filled with parma violets, balloons, balls, and candy necklaces; days of make-believe adventures as cowboys and gold-rushers (oh yes, we dreamt big!)... As I smiled to myself, mind wandering off on a journey through the past, I found myself quite happy to have been spiritually transported to my youth by a mere smell, the simplest of triggers yet with such connotations as to spark numerous flashbacks. It wasn't the first time, and I doubt it will be the last - perfumes hold a memory of a certain person or place, certain food aroma combinations can mentally carry us off to a land once visited, even things as simple as wood-smoke, turpentine, cut grass or fresh linen can evoke a comforting notion of 'home'...
And this can happen anytime, anywhere. Next time you're popping into the supermarket see if you can't feel the gentle tickle of an Italian breeze when you smell the lemons, or the bustle of a little seaside harbour as you wander past the fish counter, or the groan of a floury workbench where the mouthwatering fresh bread is kneaded. The smell of carrier bags as they are rustled open alludes to the goodies and treats they will soon be filled with.
Think about your own reactions - inhale deeply and let yourself be spirited away for a moment next time you catch the scent of something that sparks a pleasant memory... Why not?!
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