Time travel. An out of this world concept that pulls on our heartstrings, a fantastical hope that stems from our deepest and most precious memories. How often do we sit and reminisce? Reaching far back as we long to recapture those defining moments of growth and joy and to see and feel the people we no longer can. Luckily, this is not an unrealistic dream reserved for our imaginations. We travel back in time, well…all the time.
When my Zeide passed away, we immediately ran to his coat closet – that’s where we knew his scent was strongest. As soon as we found his jacket and scarf, the mixture of Old Spice and cologne brought him back to us. If only for a few moments, we were back in his arms and laughing at his signature jokes and stories. Every time the scent of latkas fills the air, my mother-in-law is back in the room with us, beaming at her grandchildren as they await her specialty. Each time you smell an esrog, are you also transported to your father’s side, looking up at him as he shows you how to shake the arba minim?
How lucky we are that the remarkable power to travel back in time is only a scent away.
