I recently read a talk by Elder Maxwell that reminded me of something that happens to me often.  He said,

“Some of us…have encountered a particular fragrance which has awakened memories deep within us of things which once were.  In such moments we have felt a deep yearning — as if we were temporarily outside something to which we actually belonged and of which we so much wanted again to be a part.”  Neal A. Maxwell, “Patience,” 1979

Do you ever smell a fragrance that reminds you of a person, place, event, or thing from your past?  I do — all the time.  Here are some examples of olfactory association that occur often in my life:

• Bleach.  Whenever I smell bleach, I’m reminded of my two years working fast food.  I worked in the kitchen and rinsed dishes and towels in bleach water almost every day.
• Cigarette and cigar smoke.  Whenever I smell cigarette or cigar smoke, I’m reminded of my two years on a mission in Italy.  Growing up in Utah, I rarely smelled smoke, but in Italy I talked to people who were smoking every day.  Even though I don’t like to smell or breathe in smoke, doing so creates a positive association in my mind because it reminds me of my mission.
• Water chestnuts.  One day, a long time ago, I ate stir fry that was baked inside of a pumpkin.  The stir fry contained water chestnuts, which made me feel sick.  Now, whenever I smell water chestnuts I negatively associate their fragrance with that pumpkin stir fry.
• Lotions and perfumes.  Sometimes I smell a lotion or perfume that someone is wearing which reminds me of a person from the past who wore the same lotion or perfume.  The association can be positive or negative depending on the type of fragrance and who the person was.

Olfactory association can have a powerful influence in a person’s life.  Associating fragrances with people, places, or events of the past can have positive or negative effects on how a person feels about their present circumstances.  Then again, maybe it’s just me.

What do you think?  Have you noticed the power of olfactory association in your life?