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Love is the pungent smell which greets you as you enter your
favourite pet shop or animal shelter. It is a mixture of
stale animal smells, chemical cleaners and other unknown
variants. It permeates the air and takes over the building.
Yet you ignore the smell in pursuit of the perfect pet.
Love is the smell of urine and feces assaulting your
nostrils when cleaning the cat litter box. It is the scent
that jumps up and hits you in the face. The odour attacks
your nostrils and cuts off your breath. Nevertheless, it is
a ritual done without protest.
Love is the smell of a baby's soiled diaper as you
lovingly change his bottom; making him more comfortable and
happy again.
Love is the smell of your spouse who has come home in the
middle of the night from his night out with the boys; having
had a few beers too many. The pores of his skin ooze with
the smell of the ale, and his breath stinks. The smell hits
you so hard you almost fall backwards, protecting yourself
from the rancid odour, the menacing giant that overpowers
your delicate senses. Yet you do not complain.
Love is the smell of vomit when you once again clean up
after him or your children, when they are ill. They made a
made dash to the toilet, but did not quite make it, leaving
a yellowish trail behind them. The odour is soar, it is
pungent, it is strong, it is nasty, it makes you want to
gag, but as you clean away the mess you are more concerned
with their health than you are with that rancid odour.
Love is the smell of an elderly person, ???the old person
smell" many young people talk about. It is the mixture of
urine, or other body odours, covered over with powder or
perfume. You graciously go up to grandma and give her a
hearty hug, holding your breath as you do. Grandma smiles
and embraces you with pure joy. Love is acceptance.
Love is the smell of a hot cup of coffee,
The aroma
Tantalizing,
Robust,
Fragrant,
Aromatic
Exotic
You freely give that coffee to the homeless man on the
street shaking from the cold on a frigid winter night. Love
is the warm liquid that descends his throat, caressing his
body, warming up the fibre of his physical and mental being.
Love is that glimmer of hope.
Love is the smell of the sick in the hospital, as doctors
and nurses work 24 hours a day to cure them of their ills.
Love is the smell of a firefighter battling off the
flames as they shoot out to attack him.
Powerful
Vicious
Menacing
Life threatening
Cutting off the air passageway
Choking
Gagging
Undaunted, the firefighter forges on. Love is the smell
of sweet surrender as the fire victim allows the fighter to
guide her to safety and beyond.
Love does not always smell gentle; love does not always
smile sweet, but love is by far the sweetest, courageous,
and most powerful smell of all.
?© 2005 Carol Roach
Winterose @ videotron.ca |
