Smoke

So much of memory is bound up in the sense of smell. I can still remember the smell of your shampoo that night we all walked to downtown. It was only there for a moment, while you brushed your hair out with your fingers, but it's permanently etched in a special little corner of my mind. Along with the image of those elegant fingers running through those lovely locks…

After camping with you last fall, the smell of the campfire permeated everything. It's pleasant enough, to a point… but everything went in the wash immediately.

But I was so relieved when I found that a bit of that scent lingered on my jacket. I didn't really need a reminder of sitting by that campfire with you, but…

Gosh. So many amazing memories in such a short time.

You, drawing me into the conversation even when I would have been perfectly content to just sit and watch.

Learning more about you, your background, your friends… I want to know everything about you, and while it was still just a drop in the bucket, I got so much, just in that one night…

You, moving your chair closer to me… to “close the circle”.

You, sitting opposite me wearing that officer's costume… were you looking at me through those reflective sunglasses?

This wasn't at the fire, but you laughing and laughing during that one conversation at lunch… oh my gosh how I love your laugh.

sigh

Oh, my love, that was a wonderful week. And while you weren't there this time, after this weekend my jacket has that campfire scent again.

I'm not washing it out this time.

If you had told me this time last year that you and I would have even one camping trip planned for this season, I wouldn't have believed it… but we have two.

Perhaps one day, if we're very lucky, we'll be able to go off on an adventure, just the two of us. I can't imagine anything I'd like much more than that. But in the meantime… I'm going to enjoy every last second of these upcoming family trips.

And I look forward to making so many more memories with you around those campfires.

Yours, in warmth and light, forever.