Sensory Perception

Since having studied for the VA bar exam and experiencing first hand the limits of what you can cram into your brain, I've come to reflect on other ways that God has built our minds to remember things. Just recently, I had two distinct moments of remembrance triggered by the senses.

1. Corn Flakes. Yes, the simple, long standing flakes of corn cereal that we all grew up on. Totally common, nothing special or unique about it. And yet, as I was eating some the other morning, perhaps it was the combination of the taste, the smell, the lighting in the room, I don't know...but it whisked me back to when I was 13 years old, sitting in my surrogate grandparents' porch, eating corn flakes, buttered toast, and coffee as the sun came up. It was one of the most peaceful times of my life.

2. My beloved and I were winding down the day in our bedroom, and she casually spritzed something into the air to freshen things up. After a moment's thought, I immediately asked her, "Is this the perfume you used to wear before you met me?" To which she replied, "Yes, I think so. I haven't worn it in a long time." In the span of about a half a second, the scent of her old perfume had time warped me back almost 10 years, and suddenly there I was again, a nervous guy in a dating relationship for the first time, with my beloved's head resting on my lap and her curious eyes looking up at me.

I experience such memory flashbacks infrequently, which is perhaps what makes it all the more jarring when it does occur. It also reminds me of one of my favorite movie scenes of all time:

Ratatouille

The Lord gave us five wonderful senses, and He utilizes all of them to help remember His name and His glory.