Recently while cleaning up around the house I came across a men’s shaving product I rarely use. As I gave it another go it hit me. This was what my dad used. As a little boy I remember watching him shave while he was getting ready for work, and smelling that same smell today brought back a flood of wonderful memories for a man who has been gone for well over a decade. As we step outside, at least in West Virginia, on these crisp fall mornings we all love the smells of fall. Crisp air, fallen leaves, occasionally some freshly mowed grass as that chore winds down, the wisp from wood-burning fireplaces and fire pits, all come together to remind us each fall of the renewed excitement and eternal optimism of fall sports, returning to school and of course of the holiday season ahead. I once had a very in-depth discussion with a psychologist expert on a case on how the sense of smell can bring so many triggers of emotions, for many good ones as I mentioned above, for others of horrible tragedies and circumstances. If in reading this it has brought back memories to you then you are reminded of the power of words to evoke emotional responses. While there are no smells in the digital space, there are words that may evoke that special person, the time, the place. A powerful tug in our hearts. Now recognize the power of words and add in visuals, all of which might in some way reference the scents of a message one wants to convey, and you begin to appreciate the power of the digital medium. So here’s to that chilly fall night, that image of a crackling fire and the smell of seasoned wood burning. A good time to sit down, pause and reflect on all the good in our lives, both in the past and in the present. Here’s to my dad who while gone many years is always there in my heart. May you enjoy some special scents that trigger your sense of wonderful times and people in your life.
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