When I spritz perfume on my body I have an instant reaction to its scent and for a split second it transports me back to a particular time and place in my life. My favorite scents all evoke memories that are my happiest and most meaningful, whether it be the first date with my husband or having the most amazing roll on the floor and pee your pants laugh with my sister or when my young son hugs me tight and says that he likes the way my skin smells.
Come to think of it, I don’t own any perfumes that give me even a subtle feeling of sadness or give me headaches or that I used to wear when I was with an ex-boyfriend who happen to break my heart. Even if the bottle is full of product and looks so pretty on a vanity, I have no problems giving it away or throwing it out. If it doesn’t make me feel like a million bucks its gone. This is not to say that I don’t hold on to things that I should not because trust me I do but, I’m definitely not a perfume hoarder. I don’t have many perfumes only about six or seven bottles but I keep going back to the same ones. For me, its all about the scent and the memory that come with the initial spritz of natures cologne.
My favorite perfumes that I never get tired of are Agent Provocateur which stir feelings of sexual curiosity just like its lingerie ads do and give me the confidence of a rich older lady. Prada Milano reminds me of romantic moped rides with my husband and drinking Campari and soda in the piazzas of Italy, specifically near the Spanish Steps in the beautiful and haunting city of Roma. Stella McCartney and Prada Dream also remind me of special occasions when, for me, the scent of the day that follows is like a lost perfume from long ago. Lastly, is the deep, mysterious scent ofeperseurs and seekers of knowledge. The older I get the more I long for those intoxicating sweaty beats of sweat that I can only enjoy on the beach or in a sweaty bar.
I do have a few perfumerary smells that I call my signature scents, but I don’t necessarily have the same scent for all occasions. I know that being around my husband and drinking with him is like having chocolate cake and soda soda with him and I know that finding that perfect perfume is what makes our lives complete. I know that every time I walk through the front door I feel like a new person, as if I am walking through an old worn door. I get a little nervous when I see people on the street and I can’t help but wonder what stories they will share with me about those long lost friends or confidants. Will they remember how we shared that favorite perfume or how we shared our lives and how we loved each other. I am a person who is forever looking for another beautiful experience.
I guess that is why I am stuck with the same perfume every day. I look forward to the time in my bathroom when I will take a quick trip down the street to the nearest perfume store with my friends knowing full well that I will be feeling all the wonderful emotions that these fragrances evoke. I am a person who longs for happiness and moments of peace. Just moments of insight can make me feel better and make me feel like I am outside of my own reality and I find comfort in that. I don’t need to know exactly which scent I am wearing the moment I enter a room. I only need to know that I am in it.
Each of us needs to feel the presence of perfume. We need to walk through our lives smelling like we never expected to be in any position to feel this way. We need to exist in a world where we know that fragrance is in the air and that it can be a floating aroma that will capture the essence of every living thing that walks through its door step. We exist in a world so beautiful and filled with love that we need fragrance to express that. We exist in a world that is full of sacred moments and relationships that are also filled with passion.
We need perfume to choose to love ourselves and others. We need to choose to remember the simplicity of our lives. And most importantly, we need to feel the presence of perfume in our lives.
