Our brains work in amazing, mysterious ways... even the slightest spark of something from our past can bring to life a memory that has seemingly been forever forgotten. For example... you could be in the car listening to a song on the radio that you have not heard in years... and all of a sudden that song can instantly take you back to place of enchantment... a fond memory that had been forgotten. For me... particularly different scents take me back to places of happiness. One such scent is lavender. Lavender is possibly my most favorite scent... partly because of what the flower represents. Lavender for me has always meant beauty... serenity... and calmness.

I remember when I bought my home years ago... my priority was to have a garden with all different kinds of trees and plants and flowers. I remember going into my backyard early in the morning on a crisp spring day in March... with my shovel... a lot of soil... and my green thumb. I live close to the beach and on that particular morning... the sky was painted over with a marine layer that hovered over the entire sky around me... the breeze was drifting in from the dense fog. In my hands were several lavender plants that I was about to give life to... as I placed them into the soil. The beauty of the purple and pink flowers was overwhelming and the exquisite aroma filled my senses with a calm that I had never remembered witnessing before. My mood was almost euphoric. Now whenever I see lavender flowers... or am outside on a foggy day... I am reminded of one of the best and simplest days of my life.