Power of Smell

It can hit at any moment.  That whiff of something familar, out of no where... and then you're whisked away to some far off memory or unexpectedly with that person that just jumped in to your brain.  It's an incredible occurance.  It's amazing how fast you're transformed from one place to the next.  And sometimes it's only for a second. 
The smell of fresh cut grass does this to me every now and then.  Breathe deep.  Now I'm at Caruther's Park and I'm 10 years old playing softball.
Jasmine is summer.  Vanilla is home.  In times likes this... I love.
I've always said I wish I could "take a picture" of a smell.  Is that weird?
But the list does go on and on.  I can't even predict sometimes which smell will transport me, or when it will happen.    
Just sitting at Panera I smelled a cologne.  And all of a sudden, and without warning, I have someone else in my thoughts.  It's times like this... I hate.  Get out of my head.

End of Missing

As I sat at the airport waiting for my luggage, I thought of how many times I've done this before.  Countless.  I travel so much.  And most times while I'm sitting there, waiting for the alarm to buzz, and the conveyor belt to start moving, I am just thinking of how exhausted I am, and how much I want to get to the next destination.  And yet... every once in awhile I see something that hits the emotional button.  It's that reunion.  You know, when someone is waiting for their loved one to arrive?  And finally the eyes meet, maybe they run at eachother, then the embrace.  It gets me every time.  It's so pure.  I saw an older couple waiting just outside the security barrier, peering down the hallway, on their tip toes, trying to catch the first glimpse.  "Is that her? I think I see her..."  I saw two sisters run to hug the third, eyes watering, jumping up and down in excitement.  I love seeing this.  I want to experience this.
I can't help but think of this quote I heard once.  It pretty much sums it up. 

"I like to see people reunited, maybe that's a silly thing, but what can I say, I like to see people run into each other, I like the kissing and the crying, I like the impatience, the stories that the mouth can't tell fast enough, the ears that aren't big enough, the eyes that can't take in all of the change, I like the hugging, the bringing together, the end of missing someone..."
— Jonathan Safran Foer