Tis the season for Lily of the Valley as well! These are probably my second-favourite flower after Lilacs... at least for pick-your-own flowers. Freesias are even better, but they don't grow around here! Anyhow... I have scoped out several Lily of the Valley patches that are accessible and pickable. Yesterday I did a little tour and found one patch that was ready to harvest! They are so cute and smell so wonderful...
When I was growing up, we had a big patch of Lily of the Valley in the front yard and would always go out and pick bunches to put in vases around the house. They remind me of my mother and of our house...
It's funny how things can pull us back into our memories, smells particularly. Smelling lilacs brings me back to my childhood. Smelling Lily of the Valley draws me back to a different aspect of my childhood. These tangible sights and smells can transport us back in time. Which might be why so many of us hold onto physical things... we are holding onto the memories that these things evoke in us. I wonder what would happen if we divested ourselves of all physical reminders of the past... would we be less likely to dwell in the past? Would we be unable to recall events from our pasts? It's like the things are triggers that pull us back into the past... so what would happen if those things weren't around?
Hmmm.... now some things might trigger unpleasant memories... and other things might trigger pleasant memories... but most things seem to trigger a combination... Would we give up the pleasant memories along with the unpleasant?? Good question...
1 comment:
I'm not sure I would want to give up any memories of my past, whether good or bad. Our pasts are a huge part of who we are today. It would be like having amnesia..how lonely and scary for an amnesiac to not know how they got to be the person they are now. Of course things and smells remind us of our past. I have a similar trigger with Lily of the Valley, too! I think the danger is when people put too much emphasis on their pasts and live only there, neglecting their present and forgetting to live now. Even if the memories are good: "Back in Portugal was like heaven on Earth!" but you don't recognize the blessings you have in your life here in whatever town in this country, you are missing out. There needs to be a balance, in all things, moderation!
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