The topic for this essay came from the smells that evoke feelings journal entry. In this entry I began writing into the smell of my aunt's perfume, and that kind of branched out into other "signs" I feel like I get from family members who have died (like my aunt). So I guess I'll just type up what I wrote in my journal and go from there.
Essentially, I said:
The smell of my aunt's perfume will randomly come to me, often when there is no one around, and it is comforting because I feel like she is watching over me, even though she is not physically present.
It is things like this that make me smile and bring on a sense of calm in me.
Similarly, although I'm not entirely sure what the backstory is, feathers have come to represent my grandfather since the day of his wake. Now, when feathers appear, that also evokes similar feelings in me. Thats how I ultimately resolved myself that I was making the right decision in purchasing my new car. As I closed the door after my test drive, there was a small feather in the space between the window and the rubber lip attached to the door frame. I felt that was a sign from him that this was the right car for me.
Coins are another thing that show up in odd places and times. Nickels and dimes will be found in piles on my front porch, a nickel fell from the top of my brother's bag as he was getting ready to board the train to school, a dime fell from my coat as I went to put it on recently (I had no change in the coat or on my bed where the coat had been), etc.
The dilemma with this things is that sometimes I wonder if these are truly signs of the presence of loved ones, or if they're just coincidences. I know they say that if you're looking for a specific number or pattern, you'll see it everywhere. Is this a case similar to that, or is it real? I guess it all depends on what you believe.
I also think that I am able to take such comfort in these things partially because I didn't get to know my relatives as well as I would have liked to in life, and some I didn't even get to see very often. I regret these things, in retrospect, and I now realize how much I took/take time for granted. I almost feel closer to these people in their passing than in life because of these things that I take to be signs that they are still around me, and because I feel as though I can think about them or talk about them and know that they are there in some way. Maybe I am comforted by these signs because I don't have that many memories with some of them, and this is my way of keeping them in my life and memorializing them. I replace their physical presence with things that have come to represent them in some way or another...
This is what I am going to focus my essay on. Going through the symbols, examples, background of the person/how that came to be associated with them, and reflections of why it is important to me, the questions I have associated with it, and the issue of coincidence vs. reality(?).
Nuisance Tripping
9 months ago
4 comments:
I really think that your second essay is going to be extremely interesting. I like your approach and your notes really grabbed my attention. I can relate to a smell evoking a memory because one of my topics for essay number two was the smell of my Godmother's perfume and how everytime I smell Calvin Klein's Eternity, I think of her. She is a major part of my life. I would just like to know what your Aunt means to you? Is there something the two of you did together or possibly a life changing event you experienced with her? I also really liked the coin and feather ideas. It's amazing how something so little like coins or feathers can remind us of our loved ones. As far as your feather idea, I would just like to know how you connected the feathers to your grandfather? I really like your ideas and I think your essay is going to be extremely interesting!
Ithink you have a great topic. and i really fell in love with the story about your new car and how your grandfathers feathers came into to the car and you felt like he was there with you telling you that that was the car for you. however i think that instead of focusing on Coincidences vs reality you should focus on that particular aspect of it the one with you grandfather and expand on that. maybe you should begin the essay by talking about how your aunts perfume reminds you of her and sort of draw a portrait of her and then talk about that day which you bought your car because it captivated me tremendously i would love to read more about thhat day and what you felt. you could do what i recommended or not after all im just a know nothing blogger. good luck.
Diana, As i was reading your ideas, i was intrigued by the objects you mentioned: feathers and coins. we often find money on the ground and become excited and think oh goody im a few cents richer, but then we look and see if it is heads up or not. If it is heads up we can pick it up otherwise it is badluck. this might not be related to your thinking but it is an idea. feathers are light and soft. was your grandafather a sweet gentle man? Did you two have a special bond? i really think you can create a good essay from these ideas, i have faith in you. Overall, good ideas! =)
Smell is so powerful isn't it? Just one sniff and a person can almost time travel. I too can related to your topic. Every single time I smell the cologne Coolwater for men, i think back to my sophmore years of highschool and remember this one boy who broke my heart.
I think that your description about what scent you associate with your Aunt, will allow reader to reflect back on their own personal experiences on smelling certain scents that evoke a rush of memories.
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