Rosemary is known as a memory aid. I saw a lovely post on Instagram that moved me to reflect on my experiences with rosemary.
I can recognize it looking back when I was a little, playing in the hall while Mamia cooked. She rubs Italian seasoning all over the chicken after giving it a lemon bath. Rosemary was there. She was there when I started to dabble in the kitchen. I was still in single digits, our mother was sure to bring us into the kitchen with her often.
There are so many fragrant helpers in that Italian seasoning. Lovely friends working together; oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, sage, marjoram and rosemary. Rosemary emerging into my garden.
The post spoke to the invitation of her aroma, to be present. It’s in the present that these memories are captured. Our sense of smell works directly with our learning, emotional and memory centers. Without being in today it’s impossible to form memories for tomorrow. The wisdom of Rosemary is saying, there is a function to this intelligence. I also consider that Rosemary is also known to soothe stress and anxiety. I think of the earthy and woody scent accompanied by a semblance of pine.
Perhaps pine plays a role in this. My mother always got a live Christmas trees. We’d often be along for the experience of choosing a tree and bringing home lady bugs. Our fingers would get sticky from the sap and that was certainly a comforting scent. An invitation.
Later in life, Mamia began placing Rosemary on her potpourri dish. I loved arriving into her warm, welcoming arms. Papia would sit in his chair awaiting his kisses, and we’d Be. Rosemary patiently being also.
Mamia did this well into great- grandmother-hood. As I Re-Member, I can appreciate that a familiar scent was present still. With us through marriage, new motherhood, divorce, poverty, housing insecurity, food insecurity and the turmoil in the mind even now as I navigate missing Mamia. Missing her selves that I knew and the self that shows up in this season, I am able to access the memories of the beautiful moments that were dimmed out by darkness. Like the little tea light warming up a potpourri dish.
The post spoke to the invitation of her aroma, to be present. It’s in the present that these memories are captured. Our sense of smell works directly with our learning, emotional and memory centers. Without being in today it’s impossible to form memories for tomorrow. The wisdom of Rosemary is saying, there is a function to this intelligence. I also consider that Rosemary is also known to soothe stress and anxiety. I think of the earthy and woody scent accompanied by a semblance of pine.