Memories for me are almost exclusively sensory. I have a hard time remembering series of events or the way things happened. But the way they smelled or sounded? I have that stamped in my brain forever. That’s why when fall comes every year, or unofficially does with the return of the pumpkin spice latte at an overpriced coffee shop, I cannot help but celebrate it. Take all my money, Starbucks! Because, the thick aroma of warm sugar and pumpkin or that “football season” crisp to the air, those are the things I live for. Let’s face it, a lot of things change as time goes by. Family lives far away, life gets more real, trials come and go. But the next 3 months of the year remind me that as we grow up, memories don’t change. Smells and tastes of memories past, those stay the same deep down in my spirit and mind. THANK GOD. No matter how much the world around us changes, those stay exactly as they were yesterday, today, tomorrow.
The smell of this time of year is consistent, I guess. And I like consistency. I like things to be the same as they were before. That’s why I celebrate with such ferocity when things like pumpkin candles and lattes come out, despite it being 100 degrees out still. The crunch of leaves? Yeah, that’s happening in Texas because it is so freaking hot all our plants are dying… Not because autumn has arrived and the beautiful transformation of the foliage is taking place… yeah right.
But yet, I still celebrate.
When things feel out of reach, ungraspable, or like I just can’t get things under control… the scent of chili reminds me of tradition. The giddiness that comes with the months ahead. That inaugural first “cold” night of the year (or, well, anything under 70). Celebration, tradition, and doing things the way you always have just because it’s gone on for too long now to change it anyways, those are the memories and things I cling to. Life is a roller coaster, relationships ebb and flow, and I feel a deep sense of nostalgia it nearly makes me ache as the holidays get closer. But, rather than shoving them out, I welcome them with open arms.
So, here’s to you August 28th. Sure, it’s hot. Hot as HADES outside. But, I celebrate you today with hot coffee filled with the smells I so long for every year to make their grand return, reminding me that the world spins and things change. But, some things never will.
You can celebrate the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte with me! Check out our newest tees in The Cake shop celebrating Pumpkin Spice Latte Season. Praise the Lord for the Pumpkin Spice Latte, y’all!
Leave a Reply