While cleaning out the cabinet under the bathroom sink, I ran across a bottle of sandalwood shower gel that dates back almost a decade... maybe more than a decade, now that I think on it. Back in the 90's, (Bath and Body Works offered more basic scents like this; I don't think they've offered something so simple in at least a decade.) I had used what I thought to be the last of this shower gel several years ago; every time I used it, the smell took me back to the house in Rome. Proust was right; smells have evocative powers beyond any others.
On the one hand, I'm inclined to ration the shower gel, using it sparingly and infrequently to make it last even longer. On the other, I want to use it now, to enjoy the memories of a very different part of my life.
Prudence may have its benefits, but I'm more likely to follow the latter course. One lesson the heart attack taught me is that you can't always count on the future... Sometimes putting off dessert 'til last isn't the right thing to do...
No comments:
Post a Comment