My Cherry Blossom Tree

 Although most of my life, I haven't associated scent with religion, there’s a special comfort in knowing that smells are symbolic of something. It makes me think of the lovely cherry blossoms that grow down the street from my apartment. They were one of the first things I saw when I moved to East Providence, and I would say they have one of the best smells. It reminds me of back home in Vermont, where cherry blossoms sprouted year after year in my front yard, very subtly next to the poison ivy. In many ways, the tree down the street is symbolic of my childhood, from my first poison ivy rash and sandwich picnic to one of the last springs I had with my grandma. The sweet floral scent stays with me, as do its memories. Green states that the term “soothing odor” has been used in literature to describe God’s acceptance of sacrifices (Green 72). Maybe, in some ways, this smell is a sacrifice to me because it is fleeting and doesn’t always come around. Sacrifice to me, then, is knowing that when you experience something memorable, even something as simple as a scent, despite its symbolism, it won’t last forever, and learning to be okay with that, just for the chance to experience it again.