While reading the testimony of Catherine Elliott, I could not forget the story of the perfume bottle she inherited from her grandmother, and I want to share it.

When Catherine was about ten years old, she saw her grandmother receive a gift: a beautiful turquoise perfume bottle with a long neck. Yet her grandmother never opened the sealed bottle, keeping it stored away. When Catherine asked why she didn’t use the perfume, her grandmother replied that she was saving it until she finished her other perfumes. But even when she bought and used other perfumes, she never opened that special one.

When Catherine turned thirty-three, her grandmother finally gave her the bottle, saying, “Let’s see how long you can keep this unopened.” Not long after, her grandmother passed away.

Whenever Catherine missed her grandmother, she would gaze at the treasured perfume bottle, still sealed, and keep it on her dresser like an heirloom. One day, while dusting it, she looked closely and was shocked—the perfume had completely evaporated through the unglazed bottom of the bottle. Not a single drop remained. In the end, no one had ever enjoyed its fragrance, only the sight of an empty shell.

As I read this testimony, I thought about the fragrance of life within each of us. No matter how busy or difficult immigrant life may be, the noble fragrance of our souls can still be released and shared across races and cultures.

Every human being lives under the limits of life, with days slipping away little by little, like autumn leaves falling one by one. Yet we hesitate to unseal the perfume of our lives, as if eternity were still guaranteed. In the end, if we never open it, the fragrance may vanish unnoticed, and we reach death with nothing left to give.

I realize that I, too, often hold back the fragrance of my life—sometimes from pride, sometimes from caution—and miss the chance to release it. Words such as “I love you,” “Thank you,” and “You are precious” are examples of that fragrance. These words can never be used too often, nor do they ever lose their dignity or kindness.

Another way our fragrance is released is through our talents—gifts from God. Whatever they may be, they are holy treasures, and we must not fear placing them before God. If hidden away, they may disappear like the perfume in the bottle. But when shared in the name of Jesus, their value becomes even more radiant. Our over-cautiousness and hesitation often keep the fragrance sealed inside.

The seal must be broken—only then is the perfume truly known.

Long ago, a woman broke her alabaster jar for Jesus, and its fragrance filled the room. That same fragrance of love and forgiveness still lingers today, like the autumn wind stirring the cosmos flowers.