Taste, Smell And Hear The Memories

I love when something I eat, smell or hear flashes me back to a moment in the past. A memory that is SO clear, it's like I am there again. Just a few of the things that do that for me are:

Bubble Yum, Original Flavor: It reminds me of when my brother and I would shove 2-3 pieces in our mouths and see who could blow the biggest bubble.

Finesse Shampoo and Conditioner: My Aunt Ronni always used this when I was a teen and it reminds me of a guy in her neighborhood that I had a huge crush on. He was older than I was and it brings me back to the night him and I were laying on the grass across from her house, looking up at the sky and talking. To this day, I'm convinced it was the smell of Finesse in my hair that made him swoon.

The sound of a Diesel truck: Always reminds me of an old boyfriend who used to drive a Dodge Ram pick-up. I used to hear him coming down the street and knew he was home before he even pulled in the driveway.

Paste: The kind we used in grade school, the one that was white and thick and gloppy and smelled sort of sweet and glue-ish. It had a brush on the lid. I can smell it right now. I feel like I'm in art class. Remember?

Freshly cut grass: Running around the yard, my father driving the ride on mower and my brother and I climbing trees or swimming in the pool. It always reminds me of summer.

Perfume: My sister-in-law used to wear Charlie in high school and for quite a few years after. It always reminds me of her and I just smelled it on someone the other day, bringing those years back. Old Spice was my father's scent, Shalimar was my mother's and Chanel No. 5 belonged to my Aunt Ronni, who still wears it to this day. Even though my mother has changed scents since I was a kid, Shalimar will always be her signature scent.

Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand and Johnny Mathis: I grew up listening to these artists and no matter when I hear them, I think of my parents, sitting in our living room on the gold velvet couch in front of the round glass and gold leaf coffee table.

WNEW: A radio station in New York that used to have a show called The Make-Believe Ballroom that featured Big Bands music. I love Big Band music and when I hear it, it brings me back to sitting in my grandparents living room listening to The Make-Believe Ballroom on the radio, with our feet up and drinking ginger ale.

Garlic: This and most other cooking scents primarily remind me of my father; but as far as he was concerned, there was never enough garlic in any dish.

These are just a few smells, tastes and sounds that take me back to another time. When my senses make me happy in this manner, I silently thank God for providing me with the ability to use all of them, making it clear that I know how very fortunate I am.