A few years ago, I was doing an interview with the crew of Ten Speed Hero; a cycling clothing company I worked with at the time. I found all members of their team fascinating. While I came from a world of athletes, they were artists. I found them smart, cultivated, and they constantly kept me on my toes with their ideas and questions. Spending time with them expanded my mind, and I loved it.
During the interview, they asked about my favorite smell.
It was the first time I had been asked that question, so I took my time before answering. Many smells came to mind. The whiff you get when you squeeze a bag of fresh coffee beans. Basil. Mint. Popcorn in a movie theatre. But which was my favorite? I settled on Christmas tree (balsam fir) for the sake of that interview.
The interview ended and so did my visit to their studio. What they didn’t know is that their question stayed with me.
Since that day, I think of them every time a lovely fragrance graces my nose. A fresh orange that’s being sliced. The smell of Lilac flowers filling the air. My dog’s paws that smell like sweet popcorn (I know maybe that sounds nasty but if you have a dog, you’ll know what I mean). Pine trees after the rain. Bread in the oven. The list is endless.
Every time I wonder; did I give them the right answer? Is balsam fir my true favorite?
Perhaps I don’t need a favorite. I’m sure no one cared about my answer in the interview. Probably there was no real goal in asking me this question and they just wanted to fill the time of the interview…
But what if the goal of that question was to make me pay attention to smells around me? What if the goal was to make me enjoy this simple pleasure of life?
Smells hold memories, which is maybe why I love the smell of Christmas Trees so much. Right now, our Lilac tree is filling the air with its sweet fragrance and I can’t get enough of it. The smell alone makes me happy. And if I pause, it reminds me when we bought the house seven years ago and planted this tiny tree, that is now three times my size. But the tree didn’t smell like this seven years ago. It only started blooming like this over the last couple of years. As we finish our preparation before heading to BC Bike Race, that’s when the scent of lilac is strongest at our house.
I don’t know what was the goal of asking my favorite smell in the interview, but the result is that it gave me the gift to pause and notice smells when I encounter them. And the more I pay attention, the more I appreciate them, because each time the smells lock in new memories.
Maybe when I’m old, the smell of lilac will bring me back to the time when I used to get ready for BC Bike Race every summer.
That will for sure make me smile.
My only complaint with lilac trees is that the blooms don’t live long when you try to bring them into the house 😩