There is nothing like a specific smell to take us back to a time in our past. It could be a good smell, an awful smell, or it could even be something difficult to describe. It can jolt a hidden recollection or just simply send one down memory lane. One whiff can set someone off on a blissful cloud walk or it can send them packing.
Sentimental is a word I always appreciated, much more than 'nostalgic', which, to me always sounded like an ointment of some kind. Perhaps sentimentality and nostalgia are not entirely synonymous, but I think it's safe to assume if you're one, you're the other too.
When I was younger I was far more nostalgic than I am these days. I know it's ironic, but like so many people, I have learned to live more in the present and, when I was younger, I was as attached to memories as I was to things.
I was raised with the wisdom that you should try to learn all you can from other peoples' mistakes. Paying attention to the past should always be for the lessons and not for the 'yearning' desire to return to that time in the past. This is, of course, the sinister definition of nostalgia.
All we have is now, or at least we ought to realize that axiom. Time is, after all, but a river of NOW.
Memories, however, are often all we have left of the people we love. But what truly lasts is that which our dearly departed instilled in us or rubbed off on us, in the time we spent with them. Character influence endures forever. Memories may not always serve us and we may one day find ourselves without the details of moments we'd hoped would last forever in our minds.
That being said, we are responsible for caring for our ancestors' legacy as they age and when they have parted. We must celebrate our genetic, primal need to hold our loved ones close to us in whatever way we can. All lives on, so be the blessings.
My family and our friends got to see one of our favourite Canadian rock bands, Big Wreck, perform at the Gateway Festival last month. My husband even got Ian Thornley's guitar pick! Their song, entitled, 'That Song', is all about that feeling you get when you hear a song that makes you feel nostalgic.
Due to its popularity on the national air waves for fifteen years, 'That Song' is one of those songs you don't realize you know, but you still find yourself singing along. It is a song that is both nostalgic and about nostalgia. Now there's a piece of mildly-relevant post-modern trivia for you, folks. Not only free of charge, but, like this paper, it is truly priceless!
I went to the local CUPE 5999 office this week for a photo and, for those who have lived in Weyburn all along, I remembered that was once a video store. It was indeed a blast from the past for me, as are so many places in Weyburn!
Recently some of the older siblings of my school chums had their 20 year reunion. I realized how fast-approaching also is the reunion of the Class of '95. I suppose I will soon have a good reason to dig up those treasured archives of creative things I did when I should have been paying attention in math class. This should be fun!
Whether you have a reason to be nostalgic or you can't help it, just be sure you keep it in check. Life is still happening!
