Be a pleasant aroma

The title of this month’s moms-of-preschoolers theme meeting was intriguing … and the talk and debate didn’t let down one bit.

Something in the invitation made me think of the aroma we emanate as women in our homes. But the guest speaker turned its many facets and shared from the heart.

The food we cook in our homes will associate with a pleasant aroma – that is so much more than the smell in a home, but it does something in our brains, in starts our digestion process, it creates a nourishing vibe. And it makes that home so welcoming, so inviting.

We were challenged to remember the smells of our childhood. Some of us, haven’t had mentally associated a smell with a description prior to this meeting, so we couldn’t instantly have an answer, but we know that the moment we smell old familiar smells we are transported back in time. Fresh apples, incense, lilac, grandma’s stews…

When I first read about the theme I thought that the idea is that when we are happy we emanate a smell of joy. Happy wife = happy life. Our kindness, courage, patience, hospitality of the heart emanates a kind of fragrance.

Or the perfume we wear, the cleanliness of our temple (literally and figuratively)… It also made me think of *pheromones : ) it’s an ongoing joke between my husband and I.

But what I resonated with the most was the idea of decision: We sometimes have to decide to step on the other side of Heaven and love even when it’s hard to love. And that brings the fragrance of heaven on this side of the Earthly Gates.

Love is a decision… we don’t let the feelings rule us, but we rule them. A choice of attitude or words, especially when it’s unexpectedly kind, that’s when we make a difference. When we correct a bad behavior is when we drive the stench out – and we teach wisdom in love, thus replacing the stuffy air with freshness.