I smell, then I feel and remember
finding comfort in the company of burning coconut husks
This is the 4th entry for the Redolence Series.
While the word ācoconutā could trigger images of sipping a tropical drink in an island paradise for some people, for me it brings in a rush of memories from my colorful childhood.
On the other hand, anything that smells remotely like a coconut husk burning, such as firewood, jolts not just passive memories but also extremely vivid emotions for me. I am aware that the smell of fireplaces or wood-fired ovens could bring comfort to practically anyone, but the level of specificity of its effects on me is fascinating.
At an instant, I feel the comfort of the familiarity of home. A flood of emotions brought about by intense memories of my grandmotherās early evening routine of preparing our meals, in the most traditional way, despite the presence of modern appliances in her kitchen. She was a beautiful yet feisty woman who refused to get told what to do and how to do things. The smell and the memory of my grandmother bring me feelings of safety, protection, and belonging.
Sabrina Stierwalt (2020) beautifully wrote about the most likely explanations why our emotions and memories get triggered by smells. According to Stierwalt, when we sense odors in our environment, the olfactory receptor cells (think of this as the nerve cells that act as receivers of odors) sends the signal to the brain - to an area called the olfactory bulb. It is within the olfactory bulb that the signals are interpreted and becomes our perceived smell (2020).
The amazing thing about the olfactory bulb is that it has direct connections to and is a close neighbor of the part of the brain that processes our emotions (amygdala) and another part responsible for memory and cognition (hippocampus) (Stierwalt, 2020).
In other words, smells bring forth lucid recollections and intense emotions from our past experiences because the areas that process smell, emotion, and memory are closely situated inside our brain. In fact, compared to the sensory cortex where information transmitted by other senses are processed, the olfactory bulb is the closest to these emotion and memory centers of the brain.
As I end this piece, I absentmindedly glanced at the vase of red roses on top of my desk. If I smell it, I wonder what memories and emotions would the scent of a rose conjure up in me.
š”How about you?
āWhat scents tend to bring up vivid memories or emotions for you?
š§ For today, observe how you respond to scents that you encounter around you.
š Restack and tag me about the answers that you come up with.
Read more about my journey through the sense of smell: Redolence Series Archive