“One's home is like a delicious piece of pie you order in a restaurant on a country road one cozy evening - the best piece of pie you have ever eaten in your life - and can never find again. After you leave home, you may find yourself feeling homesick, even if you have a new home that has nicer wallpaper and a more efficient dishwasher than the home in which you grew up.” ~Lemony Snicket
The other day we were sitting around the cottage talking about homesickness and what 'sense' made us think of home and allowed us to go back. Senses are physiological methods of perception. The traditional five senses are sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.
Senses tell us:
· What is out in the environment.
· How much is out there.
· Is there more or less of it than before.
· Where is it.
· Is it changing in time or place.
· What is out in the environment.
· How much is out there.
· Is there more or less of it than before.
· Where is it.
· Is it changing in time or place.
We chatted about the smell of Christmas dinners; the taste of puddings, cakes and pies; the sound of music, laughter and stories; the beauty of freshly fallen snow, autumn leaves and spring tulips; and the feel of a juicy wet kiss, warm tears flowing down your cheek or a tight bear hug.
Ironically at the end of our discussion the sense of 'taste' took us all home. It was some type of food + “milk” that took us there. While my husband and daughter relished the memories of milk after anything sweet, I remembered and desired milk with a ham sandwich.
My first homesickness recollection is that of going to Royal Oak School in Montréal. Every day I would board the school bus with my lunch packed in the brown paper bag. My mom prepaid the school for the daily carton of 2% milk. By lunch I was so homesick for my mom and 2 younger brothers that I found solace in my ham sandwich. It was generously buttered with real butter, and, loaded with lettuce, mustard and shaved ham. The crowning glory was the ‘wash down’ with the ice cold milk.
Ever since then when I’m not feeling quite so centred, I crave a ham sandwich and a glass of milk. I usually succumb and indulge and I always feel like I have been transported back home.
Wear a moustache!
No comments:
Post a Comment