SPRINGIN' IN THE BRAIN

BY DAN MILLER
April 13, 2006

Strange things happen in my brain this time of year.

True, my wife and family would probably say strange things happen in my brain all year round.
But never mind.... the fact is, vivid memories of times past -- most of them pleasant -- seem to come easier and more often in springtime.
And I think I know why.

It's something in the air.

It's not just the subtle, sweet aroma of honeysuckle, magnolia or clematis.... it goes deeper than that.

I believe -- and I'm pretty sure science will back me up on this -- that aromas do more than just smell nice.

Someone once said.... (it was either a noted, award-winning scientist -- my older sister -- or my eighth grade gym teacher).... that aromas improve memory.
He (or she) went on to say that when students are cramming for exams, they should smell a specific aroma, like cinnamon or peppermint.
Then, when they're taking their exam, sniff the same aroma again, and most of the things they studied will pop clearly and accurately back into their minds.

It's not cheating.... it's just boosting memory.

Riding along White Bridge Road the other night, the pleasant aroma of blossoms drifted into the open windows of my car, and my thoughts immediately flashed back to Augusta College in the early 1960s.
I could easily fantasize that I was driving onto the tree-lined entrance to the campus, and meeting old friends standing outside the commissary there.

And, darn the luck, the correct answers to an Ancient Greek Literature exam I flunked four decades ago also popped into my mind.
Wonder if it's too late to go back and ask for a re-test?

It's not just the good smells that trigger recollections.
A little hint of skunk in the air, or diesel fumes behind a bus can also bring back the old days.

But the pleasant smells of spring are the best.
As they say in the advertisement -- life comes at you fast.
It also trails off behind us at a pretty good clip.

Spring occasionally lets me revisit those magical days.... at least in my mind.

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