Week two -- Smell Yourself Happy

When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease, one trick I used to not feel all mad about the things I couldn't eat anymore was to smell them instead. We've all heard that flavor has a big component in smells anyway, right? And, I could take great satisfaction in knowing that I was not going to eat something that would make me sick. After a long time of generally feeling not-so-good, it was nice to know that I was actually conquering a health foe by abstaining. I smelled brownies at work, sniffed biegnets at Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans, and inhaled heartily at the family's favorite pizzeria*.

Yesterday though, I had a twinge of regret that I couldn't sample the cookies that my sister-in-law and son made while Jenn and I went to see Spamalot. I wish I had thought to smell them! I had forgotten my old trick. But it was a good reminder to stop and smell the cookies... and fall air, and damp leaves, and veggies roasting in the oven, and a warm dog... you get the idea. So, this week, I'll bring intention to creating or finding smells that I find comforting or pleasing. My mom's pea soup, coffee in the bag, moist soil, clean sheets, smoke from a wood fire... Other ideas?

* Airborne flour can linger for up to 24 hours, so don't wander through flour-fogged bakeries for the nasal hit. I haven't read anything that says that smelling traditional baked goods can set of an autoimmune reaction, but if you worry about it or know you are sensitive, stick to non-gluten olefactory treats for your good smells.

A late fall rose in our garden invites me to stop and smell it.