Sugared Strawberries

When I was a kid the family across the street had a girl about my age and we were good friends. We used to play this game where we would close our eyes and just breathe....then we'd tell each other what the smells we inhaled made us think of. My favorite place to play the game was just inside her front door; it smelled the way that Easter yellow would smell if colors had a scent.
The game became a habit for me and I've played it ever since. I played it as soon as I got off the plane when I went to Hawaii. It smelled just like flowers, and peace. I play it now when we visit museums, when I get on the train, when I turn down new streets. And I play it on the sly when I'm with people I love. With my Grandpa, who smells like leather and oil. My brother, who smells just like a new magazine. Every person has a fragrance, absolutely unique to them. And when I smell their scent, it's like having them with me no matter how far apart we are.
My three favorite scents the game has shown me are the ones I get to smell everyday. My husband, who smells like a soft, gray-green blanket, the kind I want wrapped around me when I snuggle up with a book on a rainy day. Little Lou, who smells fresh and sweet, like any baby should. And Curly Sue. When she sits in my lap or snuggles me at bed time, I close my eyes and breathe in. All I can see is sugared strawberries in a blue bowl. And a little bit of sunshine. And I can't help but smile.