A Visceral Reaction

Photo from flickr by Liamfm

People have long talked about how random things can trigger an emotional reaction or memory. The smell of a certain perfume or a song can stir up memories and rememberances faster than just about anything.

In my case, what usually trips a memory is a scent. Emeraude perfume was my grandmother's favorite perfume.  I still have a small bottle of it in my dresser drawer that I only open when I'm feeling really low or want a hint of comfort.  Grandma Rose gave the best hugs, and she always wore Emeraude.

Other times, music brings back memories. Randomly, I'll hear the theme song for an old 1980s cop show called Hill Street Blues and I'll be 7 years old again and tucked into bed for the night. It wasn't the T.V. I was listening to, but my father trying to teach himself to play the theme song on the piano. One note at a time. The first few bars of the song over and over and over. That memory makes me feel safe, and I tear up a little every time I think about it.

What has been fascinating to me, as I've been working with vintage jewelry more and more, are the stories that I hear from people as they've looked at the jewelry I have. 

"My grandmother had a piece just like that!" someone will exclaim and then they'll share a memory of their grandmother getting dressed up for this occasion or that.

"Oh. My. God! My mother wore something like that all the time! I wish I had kept it!"

So far, I personally haven't had a visceral reaction to a piece of jewelry...

A cross-stitch piece, nicely framed and proudly displayed at the last estate sale I went to... that's another story.

What about you? What have you come across that has caused an immediate memory or reaction?