I have always known that the olfactory sense, (your sense of smell) is very important for me. I have never witnessed someone putting such importance on their sense of smell until recently. I’m talking about my Mom’s olfactory sense.
I made this discovery as I watched her get my deodorant out of the medicine cabinet. Again, my house was built in 1951 when people in wheelchairs did not own homes. The medicine cabinet is a stark reminder of this fact because when I sit in my wheelchair, I cannot reach into it or look at myself in the mirror It’s too high.
I changed over to a natural deodorant in 2007. It was a long, drawn out process for me to choose a deodorant that I liked the smell of. After a number of missteps, I decided on this one:
I used this deodorant for a very long time (until a few months ago) because I liked the smell. The look of it changed about a year ago:
And then, to my dismay, it was discontinued.
I was at a loss because it had taken me so long to find that one that I didn’t know where to find a natural deodorant that actually works. I read a lot of reviews about Schmidt deodorant and it boasted being paraben and chemical free. I decided to give it a try. I read all of the different scents they had but I couldn’t decide on one. Since I changed over to all natural products, I have specifically tried hard NOT to smell like patchouli. I don’t like the smell of that. So, I decided to get the sample pack that Schmidt offered.
I started out by using the green one because that’s the smell I liked the least. I currently am using the yellow one:
Every day, when my Mom gets the deodorant out of my medicine cabinet, she will pull off the cap, closes her eyes, and she always smells it.
I asked her about that fact and she kind of got a faraway look in her eye and told me that it smells like my Abuela’s Stanley Home Products.
My Abuela sold Stanley Home Products to the entire neighborhood since my Mon was a girl. My Mom could not pinpoint the exact product that it smells like but she says she wants to take my deodorant to her sisters because they will smell it too!
For all of my young life until my wallet died, we always had Stanley Home Products merchandise! The things that stick out most to me after I searched for a picture was the broom, the brush, and the degreaser.
I absolutely love seeing my Mom getting lost in her memories caused by her olfactory sense. They are memories of her mom selling these products. She told me that she thinks it smells like when her and my aunts and uncles would check in the order when it arrived at their house.
I like watching her smile because it makes me think of my Abuela who now that I am a woman, I truly understand that she was/is the strongest woman I have ever known!!!