Your memory, more than you likely know, is tied to your olfactory nerve. Olfactory is the nerve most responsible for your sense of smell and it’s got the shortest, most direct path to your brain. If you want to enhance your recall of your best memories, practice breathing deeply whenever you “sense” such a kairos kinda moment coming on. Close your eyes, if you can without hurting anything, and allow your olfactory full rein for just a few seconds. STOP, if you will, and smell the roses. You just lodged this moment deep within your cranium. Very cool.
Today, on my bike ride I’ll be riding with my nose. I won’t be stopping to smell the roses, however. For me nothing slows me down like the smell of lilac bushes in their glory. We’re right at the end of their scent season but I’m hoping to catch a late bloomer and let it in. Every lilac scent rushes into my memory and retrieves beautiful memories of my back yard which was lined with them from one side to the next. I remember the countless hours with my dog, my friends, and mostly with my Dad.
My Dad, you see, would come home from work and throw on his comfies and join me in the yard with a ball. The moments would tick by throwing spirals, shooting hoops, playing catch, or simply with Dad just “feeding me jumpers.” Feeding me jumpers was Dad just sitting under the basketball hoop and rebounding all my errant shots and feeding them back to me for yet another attempt. The smell of lilac shoots me back home to such fond memories. Dad left us 17 years ago on June 3, 1996. Today, thanks to some lilac, and some writing it feels like he’s here.
Get to know your olfactory nerve, breathe deeply, slow down and smell the lilacs, my friend. Your memories, remember, are enhanced everytime you enhance your sense of smell. The key, of course, is slowing down so olfactory has a few seconds to do his thing.
Slow down and let it in…
BUILT TO LEAD 