Lily of the Valley

Most of us associate certain music with special moments, persons or places. Smells, fragrances and scents are also often linked in the same way. The smell of burning leaves and grass is for me closely associated with Africa and the strong fragrance of lilies of the valley is for me, as well as most Swedes, the end of school since most of us had some of them on our desk on the final day. It is a really special and easily identifiable fragrance that evokes memories of relief, a well-known psalm, new clothes, and a bit of sadness that all schoolmates would be separated for almost three months. This year, most of the lilies will have faded before school ends due to an unusual warm May but I am sure many of the visiting parents will nevertheless smell lilies of the valley and remember their own exams.