Scents

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Genesis 1:31

“Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!” Psalm 66:5

During our recent sermon series on nature, two magazine articles I read made me think of how scents correlate with our nature experience, but also slowing down and paying attention.

One was in TIME magazine, an essay listing the benefits of “stopping to smell the roses”. This phrase is often used to describe how we should take time to notice things and not rush through life, but in this case the author meant it literally.

Benefits of this include:

We’re experiencing the world through physical engagement, not digitally (in other words, you can’t smell a flower on your iPhone.) Try going for a “scent walk” in your neighborhood or on a nature trail…it’s a lesson in paying attention!

Here’s something you may not know: when you intentionally stop to smell something you anticipate being pleasant (in my opinion this is key: if it’s testing the milk for sourness, disregard!), your heart rate slows and your nervous system “shifts”. In a survey noted in Reader’s Digest, prior to COVID in 2020, we didn’t rate our sense of smell as highly as other senses. But, like anything taken for granted, if we are threatened with its loss it becomes more important.

Our emotions are impacted more by scent than our other senses. Certain scents can trigger relaxation and calmness. Others are more energizing (citrus, pine, etc.). I think of when I’m out photographing nature, the smell of alfalfa and how it brings me back to my childhood on the farm. Our scent memories are shaped in such a way that they are personal and affected by genetics and cultural backgrounds.

Back to that suggestion to go on a "scent walk": you'll likely enjoy the benefits of slowing down, being in nature, and taking your mind off the concerns of the day. A good way to appreciate the wonder of God's world!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for this world you’ve created. Thank you for allowing us to experience it with our senses. Help us to keep curiosity and wonder close at hand. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

I intentionally chose a couple of photos that many will be able to "smell through the screen")!