Smelling a Fragrance: Olfactory ADCs
You may smell your relative’s or friend’s favorite cologne, after shave, or perfume. Other common aromas are: flowers, bath products, favorite foods, tobacco smoke, and his or her personal scent. Two or more people who are together at the same place – and at the same time – may share this type of ADC experience.
Sample Stories
Brenda works for a social service agency in Virginia. Her husband, Russell, was 42 years old when he died of a heart attack:
Russell and I had always said whoever went first would find a way to communicate back to the other one. And he did!
Three or four weeks after Russell died, I was sitting at my desk at work. I suddenly had this fantastic aroma of roses! It was as strong as if there was a bouquet of roses on my desk, right under my nose. I knew it was from Russell!
I looked around the office, and there were no roses anywhere. Nobody else smelled them – only me. The aroma stayed for quite a while, and I felt a total, profound peace.
Russell used to delight in sending a bouquet of roses to me at work for my birthday, anniversary, or sometimes just because. I intuitively knew he had sent them again as his way of communicating his love for me.
Russell and I had always said whoever went first would find a way to communicate back to the other one. And he did!
Three or four weeks after Russell died, I was sitting at my desk at work. I suddenly had this fantastic aroma of roses! It was as strong as if there was a bouquet of roses on my desk, right under my nose. I knew it was from Russell!
I looked around the office, and there were no roses anywhere. Nobody else smelled them – only me. The aroma stayed for quite a while, and I felt a total, profound peace.
Russell used to delight in sending a bouquet of roses to me at work for my birthday, anniversary, or sometimes just because. I intuitively knew he had sent them again as his way of communicating his love for me.
Kenneth is a retired credit manager in Washington. He had a series of encouraging contacts from his wife, Roberta, after she died of cancer at age 69:
One evening about a month after Roberta passed on, I went to our bedroom to get ready for bed.
I suddenly felt her presence and smelled her after-shower splash, Jean Naté. That’s what she used all the time. It was very, very strong and lasted for seven to ten minutes, and then the aroma was gone.
Exactly the same thing happened three times in the past one and a half years. There was no Jean Naté in the house because I had my daughters go through Roberta’s fragrances and give them all away.
Each of these experiences lessened my grieving for her. I think she was trying to tell me that she is okay and is waiting for me when I pass on.
One evening about a month after Roberta passed on, I went to our bedroom to get ready for bed.
I suddenly felt her presence and smelled her after-shower splash, Jean Naté. That’s what she used all the time. It was very, very strong and lasted for seven to ten minutes, and then the aroma was gone.
Exactly the same thing happened three times in the past one and a half years. There was no Jean Naté in the house because I had my daughters go through Roberta’s fragrances and give them all away.
Each of these experiences lessened my grieving for her. I think she was trying to tell me that she is okay and is waiting for me when I pass on.
