Life Lesson’s
Intro
When I was little and my parents would go out, I would sit on their bed watching my Mom get ready. Most likely because I did not want her to go. What sticks out the most from these moments were the smell of my Mom’s perfume. Most kids do not use fragrances, so it is probably more vivid to them. It was also the ’90s when fragrances were less subtle, light, and flowery. Without consciously registering this, since then my one impulse buy is designer perfumes. I collect them, rotate wearing them, something big happens in my life I will reward myself with a new perfume. Each perfume reminds me of something. A memory of how I found that fragrance. When I think of each of these moments, there is a life lesson I have learned.
Versace
My brother bought me a bottle one holiday. I did not give him a list of perfumes quickly enough and he picked that one out. When he asked me if I wanted to exchange it, I told him you cannot go wrong with a name band.
Lesson One: Keep things in perspective. This is a luxury and the worst-case scenario is that someone thought highly enough of you to buy you a nice gift, this is not a bad place to be in.
Lesson Two: You are trying something new. It starts with trivial items such as a new scent, a different meal, or walking a new route. Hopefully, this could lead to changing your mindset and bigger experiences.
Lesson Three: You are figuring out your likes and dislikes. I have spent so many years not really knowing myself or too afraid to seem difficult, so I stayed neutral and opinion-less…in the middle. I am allowed to have preferences, likes and dislikes, opinions AND I can still be a good person while doing it.
Dolce & Gabana’’s Light Blue, Marc Jacobs Daisy, Ralph Lauren, Lucky You
These all make me think of different friends and their friendship. The importance of different people in your life. Reminds me of that quote about people coming into your life for a reason, a season and a lifetime. Identifying those different relationships and learning from different scenarios (good and bad). Dolce & Gabbana, one birthday when I was in my early 20’s a friend knew I liked this perfume and she gave me a bottle. This taught me the purpose of generosity. It showed me about caring for someone that is not in your family. It also instilled in me the art of relationships. You have to put work into relationships just as you do with school, careers, and hobbies.
Stella McCartney’s Stella
My parents bought me a bottle one year. Weeks before the holiday I was telling them my brother asked what I wanted, and I said perfume. In the conversation with my parents, I relayed which ones I like. I mentioned there was this Stella McCartney perfume I loved but it is priced a bit higher than many of the others on the list so I did not want to ask for it. Weeks after this conversation we were opening gifts; my mom handed me a smaller box. When I took off the wrapping paper, to my shock it was a bottle of Stella. My parents still to this day say this was the most shocked they have seen me in my life. I truly was not expecting this particular perfume.
Lesson: This taught me about the impact of listening and acting on what you have heard someone say. It was not about the perfume or the money. In this technology age, many people do not fully listen or engage in conversation. If they do, it is rarely acted upon after the conversation concludes. Just slowing down, focusing, and genuinely listening can positively impact your life in so many ways.
Final Lesson
The last lesson I learned from perfumes, was not from a specific brand or moment I received a bottle. From the time I started collecting perfume; knowing how expensive it was and that it is a luxury, not a necessity – I would only put on perfume when I was going out with people. I never dared put it on when it was just me.
Since COVID, I have been spending much time at home alone. One day after getting out of the shower, I was getting ready and looked over at the collection of perfumes and had an epiphany. Why do I value strangers and others more than I value myself? I am the one that loves perfume. I am the one that has worked really hard in my career to be able to afford these bottles. Why am I only wearing it for someone else and not myself? That is when I decided I would wear the perfume for myself and no one else. I think since the pandemic, we have all learned that humans can be more mindful and compassionate to one another. The other side of that coin is having confidence and knowing your value. I deserve to smell that perfume and enjoy it just as much as the people I am putting it on for.
To quote one of my favorites, Marilyn Monroe: What do I wear to bed? Why, Chanel No. 5, of course.
