Mother's Day/Girl Stuff

This isn't my first motherless Mother's Day.

If you've been reading my blog, you know my paternal grandmother died long before I was born (in 1957), my maternal grandmother (Nana) died in 1989, my mother died in 1994, and my dad's stepmother (Ma) died at the end of last March.  March-to-May was just too quick to really process the feeling of being completely motherless (though I have many women in my life who I consider motherly influences).

If you know a woman, any woman, you know they have specific preferences about everything -- from the way their bed is made, to the way their clothes are folded, to what they eat, and especially what they wear.  Each of the women I knew had their favorite perfume (that would sometimes change at times):

My mom's Elizabeth Taylor, Passion

My mom would sometimes enjoy Jontue

Growing up, my first real perfume was Chanel No. 5, which my father bought me for one Christmas.  I liked the way it smelled out of the bottle, but hated the way it smelled on me.  Over the years I would wear many alcohol-based scents from Bath & Body Works, or Victoria's Secret.

It wasn't until I found Burberry, London that I found a scent that I could say smelled like me, smelled like how I felt inside ("In this floral-fresh scent, gentle top notes of rose and honeysuckle are balanced by deeper heart notes of tiare flower, jasmine and peony and a hint of fresh clementine zest. Solar notes of sandalwood, musk and patchouli impart a subtle warmth to create a inspiring fragrance.").  It was sexy and innocent all at the same time.  It was more expensive than the $10 stuff I was purchasing in the past, but it was worth having a scent that declared who I was.

I've been wearing Burberry London for the past few years.

That is until I felt something changing within me -- I was becoming sensual, strong, and confident.  Either I could pick a scent that was just as sensual, strong, and confident or I could pick a scent that would compliment that feeling, and take a back seat to it.

Before I went to Mexico, I went to Sephora and got three samples -- Cartier Le Lune, Tocca Florence, and Stella McCartney's Stella.  In Stella, I found what I was looking for -- a scent that honored my past, present and future (I know this sounds corny):  "A fragrance based on the contrast between the freshness and softness of the rose, and the dark sensuality of amber, Stella is a sophisticated scent focused on an intense sense of femininity.")

I know it's silly -- but they say that olfactory is our strongest sense memory.  For example, try and remember Thanksgiving and I'm willing to bet you're smelling the turkey in the oven, maybe some pie, stuffing and other scents.  I've always been able to remember my mother through scent -- warm summer days in the backyard with lilac wafting around us, the smell of the roses she loved through my bedroom window.  I can remember my grandmother mainly from the scent of Dove Pink and peach pancakes. 

Who knows, maybe some day someone will remember me by the scent I wear and leave behind.  So I purchased the Stella McCartney -- even though it is much more expensive than my $10 body sprays.  I think it's worth it, and I know I'm worth it.