The Scent of a Memory: How My Mother’s Pillowcase Brought Me Back to My Senses

I gave up scent.

Like many people, I learned about the harmful chemicals, endocrine disruptors, and synthetic compounds hiding in commercial fragrances.

But an unscented world, I discovered, feels a little flat. It’s like listening to music with the volume turned almost all the way down. Life was missing a layer of richness.