You know that smell when
you walk outside right after it rains? The one that makes you feel like the
world is as it should be?
Well that smell has a
name: Petrichor.
Petrichor literally means the smell after it rains. And if you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, you need to spend more time outside. The beauty of the earth after it rains is astounding and you definitely need to see it. And smell it. It's called petrichor, but for me, that smell has a different word as well. Nostalgia. See, I lived in Maine for 8 years. And it rained quite a bit up there in the spring. Often, we would go outside when it rained and splash around in the puddles and just have fun. Then the sun would start to come out. A rainbow would appear. The mist would start rising off the ground. Our soaked clothes would begin to dry.
Petrichor literally means the smell after it rains. And if you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, you need to spend more time outside. The beauty of the earth after it rains is astounding and you definitely need to see it. And smell it. It's called petrichor, but for me, that smell has a different word as well. Nostalgia. See, I lived in Maine for 8 years. And it rained quite a bit up there in the spring. Often, we would go outside when it rained and splash around in the puddles and just have fun. Then the sun would start to come out. A rainbow would appear. The mist would start rising off the ground. Our soaked clothes would begin to dry.
And everything looked
magical.
I only remember a few of
these moments, but I hope I never forget them. Those feelings of pure comfort
and joy will certainly not be forgotten. Nostalgia is looking back on things
with a feeling of fondness. We need to do more of that. Each and every one of
us has come a long way. We've fought battles, we've learned lessons, we've
persevered. And sometimes we need to remember that.
Steven Curtis Chapman is a Christian songwriter who wrote a song called "Remember to Remember", it stood out to me among because of the way he phrases our journey through life. The lyrics I love the most say,
Steven Curtis Chapman is a Christian songwriter who wrote a song called "Remember to Remember", it stood out to me among because of the way he phrases our journey through life. The lyrics I love the most say,
"Well, I've been
looking back over my shoulder
Retracing every step trying to unforget
And I see the mountaintops I've journeyed over
And I see the valleys deep where I crawled on my hands and knees
Pages and memories filled with joy and stained with tears
They call my name and if I listen, I can hear them saying
Remember the way He led you up to the top of the highest mountain
Remember the way He carried you through the deepest dark
Remember His promises for every step on the road ahead
Look where you've been and where you're going
And remember to remember"
Retracing every step trying to unforget
And I see the mountaintops I've journeyed over
And I see the valleys deep where I crawled on my hands and knees
Pages and memories filled with joy and stained with tears
They call my name and if I listen, I can hear them saying
Remember the way He led you up to the top of the highest mountain
Remember the way He carried you through the deepest dark
Remember His promises for every step on the road ahead
Look where you've been and where you're going
And remember to remember"
We should remember what
has gotten us this far, look back on the lessons we've learned and the good
times we've had. From those memories, we can draw the strength to continue on. The Lord has been with us through tough times already, we must have faith that He will continue to be with us in the future. That's the good side of nostalgia.
But nostalgia isn't always a good thing. Sometimes feelings of fondness for the past can keep us from looking at the future. They can come upon us when we don't need them and hold us down. We have to learn to let go of certain things. At some point, we have to look past them and move on. There is a balance we all have to find between remembering things, and letting them go. Memories tie us to our past, sometimes they can be an anchor that steadies us, but sometimes they can be a chain that imprisons us.
Everything we have done has helped create who we are, so we must, from time to time, remember those things. But at the same time we must not be weighed down by them.
But nostalgia isn't always a good thing. Sometimes feelings of fondness for the past can keep us from looking at the future. They can come upon us when we don't need them and hold us down. We have to learn to let go of certain things. At some point, we have to look past them and move on. There is a balance we all have to find between remembering things, and letting them go. Memories tie us to our past, sometimes they can be an anchor that steadies us, but sometimes they can be a chain that imprisons us.
Everything we have done has helped create who we are, so we must, from time to time, remember those things. But at the same time we must not be weighed down by them.
For me, those nostalgic
memories come flooding back when it rains. Now, every time I smell petrichor,
it takes me back to that magical time in the rain in Maine. The times when I
was totally carefree. Nostalgia can be a bad thing, it can keep us tied to the
past and prevent us from moving forward. It can conjure up feelings of sadness
at a time when we should be happy. But it can also keep us from forgetting past
blessings. It can help us keep pushing forward to achieve similar memories. It
can show us the magic that God places in our lives.
And that is what I feel when it rains. I am transported to another time and place. Those memories surface whenever I smell petrichor, the beautiful scent of the rain drying up from the earth. So step outside after it rains and make your own memories, and in the future always remember to remember.
And that is what I feel when it rains. I am transported to another time and place. Those memories surface whenever I smell petrichor, the beautiful scent of the rain drying up from the earth. So step outside after it rains and make your own memories, and in the future always remember to remember.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Hey guys! I'm really glad you stopped by. If you liked this, I would really appreciate it if you share it with other people. Also, please leave a comment and let me know what you think.
I'd love to hear from you!