I can’t believe I am sharing this with you… here I go…
My all time favorite scent is a skunk! Yes, you read that correctly.
You see, scents are really special because they can bring back memories that might otherwise never be recalled. The brain regions that juggle smells, memories and emotions are very much intertwined.
So, the skunk smell for me brings up my memories of camp where life seemed more carefree. My observance of Judaism was experiential at camp not test-driven or homework-driven like at school. Basically, it introduced me to a simpler and more spiritual experience of Judaism.
Now on the flip side you can also use scent to create an emotion and hopefully evoke a memory or lasting impression. When a home smells good, it makes a favorable impression on visitors. This is exactly what home sellers want when they put their house on the market.
I know this might sound crazy but I used this technique every time my girls went out on a date. I thought; hey if the premise is that it makes a favorable impression, then why not try it for when a young man would come to pick up my daughter for a date. Hopefully, it would leave a comforting homey impression on him as well.
Through scent not only are we connecting to past memories, evoking new ones, but ultimately
