What triggers your memories?

We’ve all got childhood stories and memories – some great, and some not so good. It never ceases to amaze my mind how something so incredibly insignificant like a bar of soap can be associated with my childhood memories. Smells, textures, colors, even sounds we associate with things, people, or events in our lives that helped make us who we are today.

My mother and my biological father were divorced when I was really little. For many years I would go to Olympia, Washington and spend the summers with my father and some of my most cherished memories are from my summers spent on his farm. The smell of freshly cut grass makes me think of the farm because it was in the middle of the forest, surrounded by tall trees that I swore were saying “shhhhhh” at night time as the wind gently blew through the leaves. The smell and texture of mud also reminds me of my childhood because the farm was close to the Puget Sound. Burning wood is another smell that triggers these happy memories because the farmhouse had a big wood burning stove in the middle of the living room. My father was not a huge part of my life as I grew older and that’s okay because he gave me some of my most cherished childhood memories. He also gave me a little brother who has become a huge part of my life. My life is complete with both of my siblings who bring me so much joy.

Here’s another strange trigger – the farmhouse had a bathroom with a big window that looked out to the woods (oh yeah, we didn’t have any neighbors….just the woods) and you could lay in the tub and see a deer eating grass! But one of the things I loved the most about this bathroom was this huge fern that hung from the ceiling over the bathtub! Try as I might, I have never been able to recreate this memory! But, one of the most prominent reminders of my childhood is the smell of peppermint soap. We always had peppermint soap! Today, I still use peppermint soap when I feel the need to be comforted and thankful for the happy memories.

Another trigger of childhood memories – the smell of coffee. My mom used to make a cake every now and then with homemade frosting. It was made with coffee grounds and was sooooo good! I loved it when she made a cake!

Maybe it’s because of this crazy time we are all living in right now or maybe it’s because I am so far away from my family. Perhaps it’s the approaching holiday season and my first time ever being without my family – or a combination of all of the above. I am grateful and I am thankful for my childhood, for my life, and for those whom I love and who love me. I am thankful for that bar of peppermint soap in my shower and for the smell of the woods where I walk here in Germany. I would be thankful for a fern in my bathroom if I didn’t kill it – sorry, Ferdinand! Yes, I name my plants….don’t you?

Be they good or bad, memories remind us how far we have come and who we once were. Be thankful, be grateful, and cherish the moment you are able to be present. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.