The sweet smell of pilgrimage

Do memories have a smell?

Did you realise that your brain can record smells in your memory? Here is a quick test for you:

1. What perfume did your mother wear?
2. What did the home of your childhood smell like?
3. What did your grandma's house smell like?
4. What does the smell of moth balls remind you of?
5. What does the smell of fresh baked bread remind you of?

Whenever I smell Brut 33 it reminds me of thursday sport when I was at school.  When I smell Lynx deodorant it reminds me of teaching in a boys school on a hot afternoon after lunch.  There are smells that can trigger a memory from your past, which is great if you want to remember something special.

So what does this have to do with WYD?  

Instead of taking your normal deodorant, perfume or after shave on pilgrimage, take a unique smell with you on pilgrimage.  Use a deodorant, perfume or aftershave that you don't normally use.  When you get home from pilgrimage don't use that smell until you want to recall the experience of pilgrimage.

Whilst this might sound unusual it does work.  On my last two trips overseas I have used a brand new smell.  I still have those bottles in my cupboard at home.  Now when I smell one of them it takes me straight back to the locations of those pilgrimages.

Why does it have to be new?

Did you know that we get use to smells we have around us all the time?  consider these:

1. When you get into a lift with a smoker who doesn't realise the smoke still smells on them 15 minutes after they finished the cigarette.
2. You meet a 15 year old boy who doesn't realise they stink after lunch from playing touch football on a hot summers day.
3. A regular coffee drinker who loves the smell of coffee but it doesn't trigger any particular memory.
4. A person who gets used to the smell of their own bedroom and doesn't notice the mouldy smell.

What do you have to loose?

Even if you think this is crazy, try it before you rule it out.  If it doesn't work then at least it reminded you to bring deodorant on pilgrimage and we will all be thankful for that.  If it does work you have a way of recalling the sweet smell of pilgrimage for years to come.