I went for a walk this afternoon. It’s a particularly glorious, warm day here in Victoria. Tucked as we are at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, we enjoy a milder fall than much of Canada. Most of the leaves have fallen and there is a pungent, musky odor of decaying vegetation. Whenever I encounter that smell it brings back a flood of earlier memories. This is something I touched on in another post on recalling memories.
The following quote by the late New Zealand writer, Sylvia Ashton-Warner reminded me of my own experience today. There is for all of us, a place of remembrance that is unlocked by a scent, catching us unaware in our busy rush through life.
It’s a long time…a lifetime since I smelt those particular blooms in that particular summer yet whenever I’ve seen a currant bush since, wherever I was, and have lowered my face to it, the scent and pink bring the whole thing back.
Sylvia Ashton-Warner, I Passed This Way
Photo by John Talbot
