Windows down. Radio up. A summer breeze wafts warmly over downtown Buffalo. A familiar smell has hitched another free ride. The corners of my mouth arch upwards as I take in that sweet smell of Cheerios.

Even if you are a world away you have heard this story before. This is nothing more than a retelling of Pavlov’s dog. Instead of Pavlov shaking a bell, Mother Nature blew a breeze. Instead of a dog’s salivation, I smiled silently to myself.

The important part of Pavlov’s experiment that often gets overlooked is experience. Pavlov’s experiment only works if the experience of the food is worth salivating for.

Experiences of Buffalo summers are what makes that cereal smell pleasurable. If my past experiences of Buffalo were poor, that cereal wouldn’t smell so sweet. Luckily, the cereal winds are a nasal trigger to fond experiences.

Chances are there is a specific perfume or cologne that makes you smile. You’re grinning due to experiences, not because of the perfect blend of citrus.

I didn’t love my fiancé’s perfume before I met her.

I didn’t like Cheerios growing up.

Heck… my Grandma’s house smelled of mothballs.

If my amazing Grandma could make putrid mothballs smell sweet, then we truly have power; the power to create lasting experiences for those around us.

I don’t hope we smell like mothballs. But I do hope we create experiences worth smelling.

Photo credit : Wiki