When we first sense that something is off but we can’t put words to it, we say that it doesn’t smell right. Scent is a warning. It can also be an enticement. For food, the aroma is essential. Would coffee hold any power without it?
My dog is little more than a nose and a stomach, his walks are guided purely by scent. Which other canines have come and gone in the neighborhood today? Are rivals present? Has anyone dropped some food along the way? It’s all smelling, marking and barking. He’s king of the block because of that nose.
As for me, I am always on high alert for scams. Lying doesn’t offend me so much because I’m on guard for it. I make contingencies based on my deep distrust of what swirls around me. I rarely expect anything pleasant to last or work out in my favor.
It’s too bad that our world has become so virtual that we can’t sniff out more. Senses can tell us what we know but can’t yet reason. But the brain does understand. It just needs to capture the words that odors and vibes have already absorbed.