The Power of Scent: A Fragrance That Brings Her Back

Grief has a strange way of catching you off guard. It sneaks up in the quiet moments, the unexpected places, the smallest reminders. For me, it was my mum’s perfume. A scent so uniquely hers that one whiff could instantly transport me back to her warm embrace, to the gentle way she’d hold me close to the feeling of absolute safety only a mother can give.

After she passed, I longed for that familiar scent. It wasn’t just a perfume it was her. It was the way she carried herself, the way she filled a room, the way she made the world feel softer. But in my grief, I discovered something that left me feeling lost all over again: her perfume was no longer sold in Australia. It had quietly disappeared from the shelves, just as she had from my life.

I searched high and low, scouring stores, checking online, desperately hoping to find just one bottle. And then, after what felt like an eternity, I found it, a supplier in the UK still stocked it. I didn’t hesitate. I ordered it immediately, my heart racing with anticipation. Would it still smell the same? Would it bring her back to me, even for just a moment? Or had time and grief altered my memory of it, the way grief sometimes does?

The day it arrived, my hands trembled as I unwrapped the package. The bottle was exactly as I remembered the same elegant design, same familiar label. I held it for a moment, taking a deep breath before daring to spray it into the air. And then, as the scent filled the room, I closed my eyes, and there she was.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I could almost feel her presence. The scent wrapped around me like an invisible hug, carrying with it all the memories I feared were slipping away.

Now, that bottle has a special place in my home. On the days when I miss her a little extra, when the weight of grief feels too heavy, I spray it into the air. For those few fleeting moments, I am with her again. It doesn’t take the pain away, but it brings a sense of closeness that soothes my heart.

Grief is not just about missing someone, it’s about learning how to carry them with you in a world that keeps moving forward. Sometimes, it’s in the smallest things. A scent. A song. A handwritten card. These little reminders are more than just objects; they are connections, lifelines to the ones we love.

If you have something that reminds you of someone you’ve lost, hold onto it. Cherish it. Let it bring you comfort in those moments when you need it most. Because love doesn’t fade. It lingers, in the memories, in the keepsakes, and sometimes, in the air itself.