Smelling A Memory

Everyone, young or old, male or female, has one thing in common. That ability to trigger a memory by something as simple as a smell. For some it may be the perfume your Mother wore, or your Fathers cologne, for others its as simple as fresh baked cookies, bacon frying in the morning, or even a cup of coffee. My Mom is from Arkansas, they have a tradition that I have only seen done by a person from there, by most peoples standard its probably nothing special, but for me and my brothers and little sister too, it still triggers the memory of home life as a child, with no worries about tomorrow, no stress, no responsibilities except who's turn it is to take out the trash. A sense of comfort and protection, that all is right with the world and always will be. What could this magical dish be you ask? Only in the winter months, on Sunday morning, my Mom would make homemade buttermilk biscuits and cocoa gravy with a big dollop of butter on top. That wonderful smell coming from the kitchen always pulled our sleepy heads off the pillows, to stumble into the kitchen into a little glimpse of heaven, and as I sit here writing this at 50, I find that my appreciation for what she did is stronger now then it was back then. Because of her making a simple breakfast a special occasion, and only doing that one day a week in the winter months, I am able to recreate that any time I want, when things get stressful, the weight of the world too much or I ever lose her. I can go to my kitchen, put together the ingredients, and smell a cherished memory.