If you have been around here long enough you would know that I am very fond of good smells.
I seem to remember smells more than faces sometimes. I can remember my first visit to Lush, when it was only in Covent Garden in London, it's downstairs in a cobble stone alley and the smells as I walked to it were magnetic. I was just drawn to this shop and stayed there for ages.
I know the smell of Nivea cream because of the stories my good friend and old house mate Lizzie used to tell me about what the Nivea cream smell meant to her. If I ever smell it, I think of her. I wonder if she remembers.
Nightclubs in my early 20s smell of men (boys) wearing Cool Water Aftershave and girls with Calvin Klein perfumes.
My Dad's ute is the only thing that still has his smell to it. But the memory glands that live up my nose can smell the lamb curry he used to make and the wet wool of the jumpers that mum knitted him when I was a teenager.
So what is the best smell in the world. That's easy.
It's the smell of happiness.
You know what it smells like. You might have to close your eyes and think about it, but you will be able to smell it. It might be coriander on the dish you served for friends or the smell of mud from a dam when you were yabbying. The smell might be that of your favourite red wine or your grandma's perfume, it could be citronella candles to keep the mozzies away and it could be a big swirl of all these smells at the same time.
Happiness smells good.
Like a marshmallow melting on a stick or the sweaty baby you are breastfeeding. It is the little bit of smoke after your kids blow out the candles and make a wish on their birthday cake or the clean crisp sun dried sheets on your bed. It's the fresh biscuits out of the oven when you walk into a friends house the smell of a book that has just been printed, or the smell of an old book dusty from the shelf with pages thick and well worn.
Whatever it is for you, when you smell these things your insides smile and that is where you find the best smell in the world.
Can you smell happiness?
Yes! As a family we go to Adelaide every January, have done so for 11 years and it is happiness to me. The first year we were there at the bike race (the tour down under which we go to see), they gave away promotional suncream which had a gorgeous smell to it. Now it is the smell of Adelaide. I still have one old crusty tube that I have in a special place and it still smells wonderful. It reminds me of family, happiness, good times, smiles, and a total consuming love. x
ReplyDeleteExactly. It's now a citrus zest or a rose water smell, it's a smell that just joined an occasion and stayed with you forever.
DeleteA gorgeous post and I can almost smell what you have described lovely. Awesome. I also love the smell of rain on hot tarmac and the smell of freshly mown grass, could bottle it and smell whenever I need a re-charge - LIKE NOW!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteRain on a hot road - it's the relief after a heatwave when you know winter is still far away.
DeleteI love how you've described the best smell as happiness, it really is!
ReplyDeleteSmells are so great at reminding us of people and places! Brylcreem and Old Spice are my Dad. Strawberry Lip Smackers are summers spent at the beach.
And smelly pens are the letters to my grade 5 pen pal with smelly paper too. It was treasured.
DeleteThis post is just beautiful - I love reading nostalgic posts like this - ones that take me back. My favourite, most comforting smell from my childhood was my mother's Nutrimetics face cream - it came in a beautiful apricot coloured tub and it sat high on the bathroom window sill. I'd often tell her that my lips were dry and she'd dab her cream on them. I loved that smell and I can still pick it anywhere.
ReplyDeleteSmells take you back in time like no other sense. Beautiful post :) (And sorry for being the worst linky joiner-inner ever!!)
ReplyDeleteYou're right, I never thought of that, the best smells are happiness.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post of yours and agree totally. The smell of happiness is the best. And any of the smells I on my list are those of pure happiness.
ReplyDeleteI love Calvin Klein perfumes :) Eternity is my ultimate favourite.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I think of too!
DeleteI love the smell of catalogues! It's probably horribly bad for me but I love the smell of that ink on paper. I love the smell of my baby's head too!
ReplyDeleteI too love the smell of rain on the road on a hot day. And both the smell of a brand new book or an old one. Love the smell of freshly washed sheets and towels straight in off the clothesline.
ReplyDeleteAh, the smell of happiness smells like so many good things. A newly born head; my husband's neck; my children's school uniforms; Hermes perfume; freshly washed sheets drying on the line; a good Sauvignon blanc; freshly made pancakes; blood red roses; lavender in the sunshine.
ReplyDeleteAnd ginger and mandarins and warm Autumn afternoons and rain on hot ashfalt... I'm just a little bit happy-smell obsessed. I'll go now...
ReplyDeleteI have never really considered the concept of the smell of happiness till now, but I certainly do identify with what you have said.
ReplyDeleteyes yes YES - salty sea air, warm cinnamon, freshly brewed coffee, jasmine on a hot day. I'm feeling happier already :) thank you xx
ReplyDeleteAren't noses amazing? The memories that can come to mind with a certain smell is amazing. I love the smell of books and rain and vanilla, new babies, bacon ...
ReplyDeleteYep happiness to me is the smell of my babies hair as I cuddle her and she snuggles into the side of my face. Babies smell sooo good.
ReplyDeleteI suffer with hayfever so I don't smell as many things as most. Probably a blessing when you work with ten year old boys! I'm a bit partial to frangipanis after the rain, triggers childhood memories of exploring the neighbourhood when we lived in FNQ when Dad was working for Christopher Skase!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely evocative post, I'm with the rain on the road after it hasn't rained for ages, and I love the smell of the change of seasons. I cook my own yum cha and it when you steam it up it always has the scent of celebration, even when it is just an easy night's dinner. Smells can certainly take us back to holidays and places and people who are special to us.
ReplyDeleteI just had time to go back and read this properly... love the poetry of the post! Beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteI can usually smell happiness when I walk in the front door of my house after work on a Friday. And it usually smells like wine. Hello Happy Hour(s)!
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