Flowers in a Bottle

When you reach those years of hormones, aggression, confusion, frustration, wild swings, and moody depressions, it is a good idea to keep something to remind you that you aren't talking about your hormones. It isn't your fault. And you are still a human being, an adult human being who is allowed to like a little something for you.

Mine is a little bottle of perfume.

I'm not a big wearer of beauty products. I don't own any make-up, and haven't worn any since I got married. Well, maybe once since then, I'm not sure; I think I put some on for a job interview once, maybe twice. I'd have to go out and buy it if I wanted to wear any today. I'm not a fashionista. I used to wear jewelry, and plenty of it, but with babies, you have to mostly lay off. My husband gets me some beautiful pieces. Every once in a while I sneak into my jewelry box and watch them sparkle a little, because they are just like his eyes. I don't get to wear them much. Perfume was something else I didn't wear much. I had some nice ones. I wore Anais Anais when I was much younger, and I liked Sunflowers a lot; my sandalwood and mango oils were always nice. For a while I had a kind of spritzer of lilac, and one of honeysuckle, that were lovely, but the scent doesn't last long with those. I like rose water, too. But I could never finish a bottle quick enough, because I just don't wear a lot of anything. Not even perfume.

With showers not as prevalent as they once were, perfumes became more important- after the shower, it was an indulgence, a statement of being human again, to use those spritzers. Ready to jump back into adulting, while smelling super good.

My mom wore KL when I was growing up... on special occasions. Whenever the KL went on, something good was about to happen. Dinner out. See the grandparents. Going shopping. She would dress up and look beautiful and smell awesome, and that was my mom. I can detect KL from a room away, and think, "Mom!!!"

I hope my boys will someday get that whiff of Daisy and think, "Is mom home?"

Mom bought me the first bottle, and it was love at first sniff, after the shower. It had been a rough day, and it was a few minutes I stole for a shower, with Allan home and kids distracted. A few spritzes later, and I was ready to adult again.

And that was when I thought, you know those folks who go about with too much perfume or cologne or whatever on? They must think they smell super. And I bet it makes them feel good to smell super. It must help them be ready to adult again. So I gave myself some more spritzes.

Because the perfume ain't for you. I like it. It smells fantastic. And it's for ME.