Is Emotion Tied To Scent?

Can a scent that captures the nose, also capture the heart? Some say yes. In fact, it has been scientifically proven that pheromones play a significant part when it comes to falling in love. But what about flowers? Can receiving flowers evoke this same emotion? What about giving them? When it comes to love, all of the 5 senses are involved, including smell. So what if you were just to smell flowers, would that conjure up memories or cause feelings to "bloom"? I don't know if emotions could bloom just from receiving, giving or smelling flowers, but I do think that some familiar scents can definitely awaken the senses. To bring forth memories that were nearly forgotten. When the smell of fresh lilacs traveled in the air, found me and took me back in time.

I'm a sucker for a woman that smells good. When she passes by and her scent lingers, I can't help but turn my head. It's one of my weaknesses. At times I even find it difficult to concentrate at work if a female co-worker has perfume on that is to my liking. So when it comes to the question of whether or not emotion is tied to scent, I say without a doubt, yes. It is often said that the lilac scent creates a calming sensation in people, which explains it's usage in aromatherapy. However, I hear it is difficult to find candles with a lilac fragrance. The reason being is that a real lilac fragrance is difficult to duplicate. Perhaps this helps explain the popularity of fresh cut lilacs, the scent's rarity? Often replicated, never duplicated. The same could be said about love - often replicated, never duplicated.

But why does that fragrance make me so happy? I would answer that by saying it's tied to nostalgia for me, but according to one author, the lilac is a symbol of the first emotions of love. So given the fact that the first woman I ever gave flowers to would of been my Mom when I was a boy, would that of been my introduction to love? (Not in the sick twisted Freudian sense of course.) To find a lilac blossom with 5 instead of 4 forolla lobes means good luck. Some say the purple color denotes sadness and mourning. Like love, the lilac can hold both happy and sad connotations. Also like love, the lilac can be both simple and complex. It conjures up a variety of emotions and a mixture of different meanings. Both the lilac scent and the feeling of love are difficult to capture. Although one thing I'm almost certain of, both conjure up emotions that are tied directly to the heart.