Monday, February 11, 2008

Memory through the Senses

Which sense gives you the strongest recall of memory? Sound, sight, smell, taste, or touch?

I love the fact that senses can trigger memories and put you back in a time or place just by encountering it. For some reason, smell has always really connected me with things. Certain perfumes or smells I've worn at different times make me feel like I transport back to that stage of my development whenever I smell it. It's hard for me to wear a different smell from different periods in my life. I like to still carry those bottles with me though, for I can always tag on to how I felt at those times just through a whiff.

Also, for me, sound is pretty crucial, and by sound, I mean music mostly. Certain songs bring me back to certain times or bring people to life who aren't around. Isn't it funny that you can go years without hearing a song, and once you hear it those years later, you can instantly recall the lyrics? Or, a thought or person can trigger when you haven't heard the song in a while, and all of sudden you're reliving something from the past in that one moment.

For me, smell and sound are the strongest. I think it's different for everyone though, for everyone is complex in unique in his/her own way. I guess I'm curious to see if that does vary, and if so, what the senses are.

Amuse me.

No comments: