What happened to the world of smells?
Where did all the odours go? How did they disappear? - I still remember the change when I stopped smoking twenty years ago, and the whole world was suddenly filled with aromas, mostly unpleasant and strong. When did they fade away? I know you lose high frequencies of sound when growing old, but scents?
I went to visit my old birch friend on the island, to sit on their lowest branch again and sniff around, embarking on a miniature smell journey. I sat down and took a deep breath and then - nothing. I enjoyed the fresh breeze from the sea after the hot city air, but it did not smell special, I felt the freshness, as if my lungs could sense the touch. The soil was dry, perhaps that was the reason. Usually grass and shrubs emit stronger odours when humid. The birch leaves with their signature scent smelled nothing, even though I rubbed them between my fingers. And the lichen on the bark, no smell there either, no odour or aroma, no specific scent.
This is scary. Did my sense of smell just disappear without my noticing? Life without smell could be dangerous. I left the island confused. On the pier, finally, when returning to the mainland, I sensed the smell of rotting seaweed on the shore. What a relief, the world of smells was not entirely lost after all.