A Whiff Of A Tale

Once upon a time in the Land of Possibilities, where all things grow and exist for the good of all, a terrible fear fell upon the folk. Someone in their midst had clearly caught the greatly dreaded disease — Pongitis!

They knew this because they could smell it.

The difficulty was that they also knew who it was, but no one dared tell her for fear of embarrassing her. How could she not know that she smelt so foul, they wondered?

You see, the strange thing about Pongitis is that it creeps up on you, as it had on poor Ursula.

Who, quite frankly it had to be said, smelt like the fetid morning breath and botty burps of an ogre!

Ursula herself had no idea she was emitting such a quaff — let’s be kind.

She hadn’t always been this way.

Before, like all the folk of Possibilities, she had been beautifully fragrant. Ursula’s own particular scent had always been strawberries with a hint of lavender.

Her mother smelt of roses with a touch of vanilla, and her father carried the aroma of sandalwood with freshly mown grass.

The trouble began when Ursula travelled to the faraway Land of Wanting.

There she stayed for a time in the curious town of Abundance Ville, where the people seemed to have everything.

Ursula was astonished by the grand homes, the fabulous cars and the most amazing outfits.

Most astonishing of all was the ease with which people could change their appearance with something called cosmetic surgery.

Yet the longer she stayed, the stranger things seemed.

Despite having so much, the people of Abundance Ville appeared distracted and uneasy.

They went to great lengths to hide it, but Ursula sensed it all the same.

And before long, she began to notice things about herself.

Strange how large her nose suddenly seemed. And this very morning she realised she might be a bit on the large side - were her ears always sticking out like that?

“Oh my,” she thought, glancing nervously about her, “what must people think of me?”

So busy was she worrying that she tripped over a curb while trying to disappear quietly into the shadows.

You see, in Abundance Ville almost everyone is discontented the townsfolk spend much of their time thinking unsavoury thoughts about themselves and others — comparing, envying and quietly judging.

And those thoughts have an unfortunate effect.

Without quite realising it, their natural fragrance slowly fades.

To make matters worse, they attempt to disguise this with endless sprays of perfumes, aftershaves and air fresheners, which only muddle the matter further.

And so it was that poor Ursula, without the faintest idea, caught the dreaded Pongitis — negative thoughts that make one odourific… and not in a good way.

But let us not lose sleep worrying about her.

Soon enough a kind friend will gather the courage to say something gently.

And perhaps Ursula will laugh, shake herself free of such silly thoughts and remember who she really is.

And if she does, the sweet scent of strawberries and lavender will surely return.

Then again… perhaps not.

You may choose the ending.

Though it does make one wonder…

Imagine if our negative thoughts really did give off a smell. I suspect there would be days when many of us might prefer not to leave the house.

Still, the cure for Pongitis is quite simple.

Stop judging.

Accept yourself.

And you may find your own fragrance returning sooner than you think.

“I notice what notices me.”