mystery

over the course of my life, i've learned that most people have a preferred scent. whether it's lemon for dish soap, pine for wood-cleaner, vanilla for kitchen candles, or florals for perfume, people naturally express themselves through their choice fragrance. it's rather comforting expecting to smell a specific scent when visiting family or a friend and then actually smelling it. in these cases, when reality meets my expectation, somehow life feels right. familiar. the stars are aligned.

i am one of those people described above. someone with a nose for preferred aromas. floral-fresh for my daytime fragrance, lavender-chamomile for my bedside candle, basil for dish soap...and "light-and-fresh" for my deodorant. whether it's out of my predictability, dislike for extreme change, or thrill in being associated with specific scents (only the good ones!), i rarely "mix it up." once i find what i like, i hold true to it. that is, until the other day.

it was time to replenish my "light-and-fresh" deodorant. to target i go, with the exact brand, strength, and fragrance in mind. but once i reached the aisle, i was distracted by a new scent: lavender. sifting through the pros (well, it is spring) and cons (what if you don't like it tomorrow?) of replacing my familiar deodorant, i bit the bullet and bought the new one.

one day later, all i can say is: way to go, erica. way to shake up your predicability with the one thing you sport every. single. day. there i was running, wondering what that unfamiliar scent was. and at the market, a whiff of something nice, but unusual. and in bed - where in the heck is that springtime smell coming from? in those moments of confusion i had to remind myself of the new deodorant, my attempt at discounting the impact of identifying oneself with something as simple as a smell.

do i like the lavender deodorant? sure. on me? not so much. in due time, i will revert back to "clean-and fresh." it's me. until then, i will either warm up to this impostor or be as confused as a dog named kitty.