Anosmia ~ Losing your ability to stop and smell the flowers
First Listed March 22, 2010
A few years ago I used to participate in holistic health expos. My sister, Jan, used to go with me and we always had a great time.
We used to meet so many interesting people and check out some great new age products.
At a particular expo, we met this woman, I’ll call her Sue. She was so sweet and we were talking about my products and about essential oils and aromatherapy. She said she wishes she could smell the products but she can’t due to a condition she has called anosmia. Anosmia is a condition where you lose your sense of smell. In many cases it’s a temporary condition, but she said she was born with it.
She said because she couldn’t smell, she couldn’t taste anything either because those two senses are connected. She said that was why she was so thin because she truly ate to live. She didn’t really enjoy eating because she couldn’t taste anything. Immediately my sister, (who is a self-confessed dark chocoholic), said, ‘You mean you can’t taste anything, so you’ve never tasted chocolate?’ Sue said yes, she doesn’t know what chocolate tastes like.
My sister and eye looked at each other (yes I love dark chocolate too) and are eyes were filling up. We couldn’t believe what we were hearing. Could you imagine not ever tasting any food? Or smelling a succulent flower? I know it’s not the end of the world, but being that I use my senses so much, especially the sense of smell, in my work, it just blew my mind!
Sue then went on further to say that she believes her younger child, her son, may have her condition too and has to get him checked for it. She said she once burnt something – I think it was toast – and her daughter told her mom she smelled something burning and she realized her son didn’t say anything. Sue asked him if he smelled the burning and he said no. Her eyes filled up as she told us this. She said she didn’t mind that she had this condition, but it would hurt her heart if her son had it as well.
That conversation with Sue really stuck with my sister and I. We have spoken about her a few times since then. It truly makes me appreciate my senses, all of them, and I have a renewed sense of gratitude for being able to smell, hear, taste, touch and feel even more.
My invitation: The next time you bite into anything such as a sweet, fresh, juicy orange (or other delicious treat), really taste and smell it and enjoy all the sensations.
What do you think about not being able to smell or taste anything? Do you know anyone who has anosmia? Do you feel more grateful for the sense you do have? Share your thoughts and comments below.
Inhale~Enjoy~Exhale,
Gina
image by Dennis Wong via flickr
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