Day Twenty-Three: Sunday Scents

Sunday is my favorite day of the week for many reasons. The quiet - how I love it! The calmness, the choices of what to do or not do, relaxed family time, church, friends. Freedom.

My mind opens up as the stress of the week dissipates on this most serene of days.

This morning it is the sense of smell that so pleases me. The lawn, soil, and mulch outside my open windows give an intoxicating aroma of earthiness. Waffles and bacon on the griddle waft their scent down hallways and through open doors to my chamber. Brushing across my face clean hair smells of eucalyptus shampoo. A lavender candle's scent gently reminds of summer's purple flowers and sage green leaves. A clean beagle this morning smells much better than a dirty one did yesterday.

"Mindful smelling stimulates the memory, and the olfactory gland is the strongest sensory gland in the body. Scent opens the neural pathways to the limbic system (the emotional brain.) Aromas recalled from the past can be a tremendous comfort in times of stress and sadness. Many studies have been done on the effects of scent on our state of mind. And it has been shown that aromatherapy can be used to stimulate the mind and body connection." ~~ from Ten Mindful Minutes, by Goldie Hawn

In the activity required to prepare our home for my daughters' slumber party yesterday I neglected to eat or drink anything until mid-afternoon. While the girls dined on Cassie's beautiful meal with their friends, Tom grilled three burgers for himself, Ben, and me while I toasted Killer Dave's bread, plucked lettuce from the garden, sliced cheese, and pulled homemade condiments from the fridge.

"I am so hungry," I said aloud to no one but myself as I was the first to have an assembled burger and to be seated outside on the patio. My first bite was much larger than normal. I found myself gulping it down. This was a warning to me that I was not eating mindfully - or healthfully.

"Slow down. Smell it. Realize what it is. Enjoy it."

I did. Seasoned grass-fed beef between seeded heels of bread, crispy lettuce, smooth mayo and mustard, a bit of cheddar cheese. It looked gorgeous. It smelled even better, it's peppery, cheesy, grainy goodness luring me. And after my introduction to the sandwich, the taste was out of this world. No more gulping. Appreciation made the difference. Edibles often taste better when they are studied a bit, you know. And hunger makes the sense of the food all the more vivid.

Today - nestled inside a home full of groggy girls, with foggy air in my lungs, and a tranquil countenance - I celebrate my Sense of Smell!