There are times when our senses work in tandem. Some of the common ones seem to be sight and smell, sight and taste, or perhaps sight and feel. Most of the time, however, my senses are just on autopilot and randomly scanning everything in the neighborhood. Running in every direction and occasionally a couple of them will team up and focus together on something. Then there have been times that all my senses have joined hands and danced around something in the middle of my head.
It was late summer 1974 to the best of my recollection, when on a warm Saturday afternoon, I had one of those experiences where all my senses converged at one time. Due to that, specific triggers now exist that will bring back that day, time and experience.
The Allman Brothers had released an album called “Brothers and Sisters” in 1973. Because of the date of the release I am certain that I had heard every track on the album previously. I am most certain that I had heard the instrumental “Jessica” and had probably heard it numerous times prior to this date.
On this warm Saturday afternoon after all the chores were completed, we had commenced a game of fuzz ball on the lawn between the main house and the street that separated us from the campus.
The lawn had been freshly mowed earlier that day and the climate was mild, bathed in warm sunshine. The aroma from the fresh cut lawn and the sensation from the warm sunshine and slight breeze alerted the senses of touch and smell.
One of the brothers had set their stereo speakers in an open window and was playing the album “Brothers and Sisters”. The last track on the ‘A’ side of the album began as I was taking my turn at bat. With the game bathed in the sounds of “Jessica” and the aroma of fresh cut grass, the warmth of the late summer sun on this mild Saturday afternoon for some reason all my senses focused.
I know that all the other tracks had played, but I had never been so in tune with my surroundings as this moment. The tennis ball was pitched, the broom stick was swung, and everything came together on the sweet spot. It is hard to get an ideal connection in fuzz ball due to the nature of the components of play. The tennis ball is small, the broom stick is narrow, and the footprint of the contact area is very specific. When these items all converge the results are a shot that goes beyond the next city block. But all of this is not the highlight of the memory, nor is it the trigger.
The trigger is the sound. Whenever I hear the song “Jessica” the entire package arrives with the sound. The warmth of the sunshine, the smell of the grass, the memory of the moment, all return with the sounds of this song.
I know that all the other tracks had played, but I had never been so in tune with my surroundings as this moment. The tennis ball was pitched, the broom stick was swung, and everything came together on the sweet spot. It is hard to get an ideal connection in fuzz ball due to the nature of the components of play. The tennis ball is small, the broom stick is narrow, and the footprint of the contact area is very specific. When these items all converge the results are a shot that goes beyond the next city block. But all of this is not the highlight of the memory, nor is it the trigger.
The trigger is the sound. Whenever I hear the song “Jessica” the entire package arrives with the sound. The warmth of the sunshine, the smell of the grass, the memory of the moment, all return with the sounds of this song.
Once again, my senses hold hands and dance around something in my head. It seems that most of the triggers that bring back memories of occasions when all senses converge is the based in my auditory system. While music is a common component, it is not the only auditory trigger. In addition, the memories that are recalled are not always as pleasant that the one brought on by “Jessica”.
People do not always understand why I do some of the things that I do. When things seem weird, there is probably a reason. With some of the modern gadgets and technology it is even easier for me to lock in on a song and set it on repeat. So, if you find me locked in and on repeat, it may be that I am continually activating a trigger that takes me to a time and place of contentment. Or maybe I am in a place of solitude where I can think. Does that make sense? Sometimes I just like the song! “You decide what is real and what is illusion.”
To those that can make sense of the last line of the last paragraph, that is another trigger that takes me even further back in time. Does that make sense?
People do not always understand why I do some of the things that I do. When things seem weird, there is probably a reason. With some of the modern gadgets and technology it is even easier for me to lock in on a song and set it on repeat. So, if you find me locked in and on repeat, it may be that I am continually activating a trigger that takes me to a time and place of contentment. Or maybe I am in a place of solitude where I can think. Does that make sense? Sometimes I just like the song! “You decide what is real and what is illusion.”
To those that can make sense of the last line of the last paragraph, that is another trigger that takes me even further back in time. Does that make sense?
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