I'm not very regular at writing blogposts. And I find myself writing posts in my head all the time. When I'm cleaning and cooking, going for walks, riding my bike, I think I just speak in story. But I'm not very good at getting them from my head down into writing.
One thing that I often have done in years past is write a post on the anniversary of our family arriving in Australia. Because I'm sentimental, because I don't like those days to just go past without being recognised, and because I like to capture memories in my writing. So today's post,
One thing that I often have done in years past is write a post on the anniversary of our family arriving in Australia. Because I'm sentimental, because I don't like those days to just go past without being recognised, and because I like to capture memories in my writing. So today's post,
The smell of memories....
...Smells can sneak up on you, and suddenly, without trying to, you're reminded of something. They say smell is linked to memory more than all our other senses. And I can testify to that. Anytime I smell honeysuckles I'm a little girl again, in our backyard, making up some kind of concoction that me and my siblings will try eating. Sometimes it was delicious, like our pickle flower soup, or our grain and salt cereal. Followed by a dessert of honeysuckles. The dandelion and brick soups weren't quite as delicious. And you can ask Tamara about the many mud pies that she actually ate. I don't think she'll ever live that down in the Blackwood family. I love the smell of honeysuckles, the remind me of my childhood. Sometimes I think about planting some along our fence, but I'm afraid that if I smelt it every day it would no longer be linked to my childhood, and I would miss it.
When I smell snickerdoodles baking in the oven I'm reminded of Grandma and Grandpa Cole. And the days when they would come visit, and Grandpa would pick us up from school, and we'd come home to Grandma's freshly baked snickerdoodles. I love remembering those days.
Then there's smells that remind me of those first days in Australia 12 years ago. There's that orange air-freshener, anytime I smell it I'm taking back to our foot street house and those first few days. There's the smell of quiche being heated in the oven, our first breakfast in Australia. (we were told later not only do Australians not usually eat egg and bacon quiche for breakfast, but they usually eat it cold, so it's not a smell I smell often :) ). There's the smell of sweet water creek. I'm not even sure exactly what it is, but even now when I go for walks there it smells like 2006. My sisters and I call them 'WOAH!' moments. Those moments when without realising it, a smell, or a sound, or a sight take you back to first moving to Australia, when things were so different and even smells were foreign.
It's nice to look back, and reflect. Yesterday was our last worship service in the guide hall that we've used for the past many years. (We couldn't remember exactly how long we'd been there, which sent me searching through old bulletins. May 14th, 2006 was our first service there, so it has nearly been 12 years in that building) And one of our elders, Tony, reflected on those years in this building. The ways God has used this place for our worship services, the baptisms that have taken place, the people who have professed their faith,the worship and fellowship that has taken place as God has met with us. It was a good reminder to remember. Remember the great things that God has done for us, remember the ways God has blessed us, remember the people whose lives we've been able to reach and be a part of over the years, and even to remember the hard times, because we also remember that God has brought us through them. Both as individuals, and as a church family.
So as I smell things and am reminded of things, I'm thankful. Thankful that God gave us memories. Thankful that random sights and sounds and smells can take me back to places and times to think about and relive to things that God has done in my life.
