Rant of sorts.
It is every foodie's worst nightmare, an underrated handicap and an often-neglected privilege we enjoy.
I learnt mine the hard way when my sense of smell was taken away from me some 3 days back, without my knowledge. Before even coming to terms with the sudden change of SOLELY feeling air running through my nostrils, what came along was overwhelming.
Imagine not smelling the soap and shampoo during showers, almost tasteless delicacies, your favourite fragrance/cologne/scent resembling water, not smelling your mum's cooking
and worst of all, not smelling your beloved and the warmth of her hair.
"So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, "Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed." (Gen 27:27)It's a ghastly experience. Horrifying and traumatic.
It messes everything around us slowly, surreptitiously. Especially the people whom we love, and they who love us back, most.
My ordeal had lasted till Sunday morning, when the stench of my towel and the fresh smell of shirt have became more apparent. Mum's curry could be whiffed at least from arm's length. It was exhilarating and Ms. Koh was the first person I shared in my relief. As I sat to savour the previously-less-appreciated curry, I came to think about our spiritual senses.
"Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done." (Gen 8:20)Scientifically saying, we smell because of little nerves within our noses, which food molecules bind onto, sending signals to our brain... and so on. A pleasing aroma never fails to arouse anticipation, bring on a smile, even encourage enthusiasm and hope. Our sense of smell not only welcomes fragrance and sweet-scents, but also warns us of danger in harm's way. Imagine eating something bad and not realising it until the ambulance arrives.
A Christian hedonist believes that God's glory can only be seen unless we take pleasure solely in His presence and power. That involves our five senses. Physical and Spiritual. Being one with God and taking Him in is the key in this claim.
"Smelling" His bread of life, freshly-baked, warm and toasty, waking up to smell the coffee of His creation is definitely far more rewarding after this experience of losing it. But why only realise after it has come and gone? I believe that our afflictions do mean to happen in a similar manner. Sure we don't feel God's voice or blessings sometimes, and even if we did, sure our shallow faith freaks the living daylights out of us first, before the possibility of what God has in place for us would set in.
But unless we believe, breathe on, smell more and look forward to what our lives have in store for us, unless we cling onto the prayers of our loves and their presence in our loves, unless we believe... Really. Believe. in what God has promised us, the food we anticipate will cease to arrive to our hearts and bellies.
Thank you Lord for what you have revealed and encouraged me to see... and smell these past days. I love you for giving me love through the people closest in my heart. I praise you for healing and never despising my minuscule faith. Help me Jesus to smell and know you more in this life. Help me to love, appreciate, anticipate your promises. I want to love those you have entrusted me past, present and future, more and more. Amen.
