"Your nose is the window to your soul."
Hawkeye Pierce, 4077 M*A*S*H
(Of course, he was talking to Klinger–for those of you who know the show.)
Ever notice how a scent can bring comfort, like when you walk into your parents' home the day before Thanksgiving and your nose fills with the scent of pumpkin pie?
Or how a scent can evoke a long-buried memory?
Or how blindfolded, you could locate your geography via your nose–near an ocean, in a pine forest, or at a farm?
We use scents to awaken (coffee), relax (lavender) and guide our actions (dirty diapers). Sometimes we cover them up (body odor). Sometimes we free them (incense and candles).
My parents brought me roses the other day. I smashed my nose into a bud and inhaled.
Beautiful.
A week later, or perhaps even two weeks later, the flowers stood in the vase dead. I hesitated to get rid of them because I noticed something.
In their death, the aroma filled the room stronger than ever. In their death, their scent was released.
This one scent reminded me that Jesus' death brings something beautiful to me. In his death, I'm released. As I die to self and live in Christ, I'm released. Christ conquered death–that evil villain–and gave me something beautiful in its place. Some day this body, this physical, emotional, spiritual body will be resurrected.
I take the rose and create potpourri, a scent of life where death once stood.
This inspired me to use this theme in other creations–a pressed flower as the center of a collage, an old music form reinvigorated in a new song, the fabric of an old shirt stretched over a book.
How have scents inspired your creativity?
Photo taken by Heather A. Goodman.
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Heather A. Goodman is a writer and speaker. When not at her computer, you can find her breaking into song and dance, swimming with mermaids, or having tea with fairies. She blogs at L'Chaim, where you can also sign up for her free ezine, Glimpses: Christianity in Art and Life.
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This is a great post Heather. I love the imagery and how you pointed it all to Jesus…just awesome.