I am not quite sure if this qualifies as an adventure, but my quest this week is going to be to finally get braces after years of having my teeth bonded in front. I have a huge David Letterman-style gap in my front teeth. I have fought it for years. I finally realized last month that it was time. Can you imagine I am 50 and will have braces for the very first time ever? In order to do these braces, my current bonding has to be taken off leaving me with a huge gap. I cannot imagine what this will look like but am just going to go for it. Enough with the cover-up. This is kind of a metaphor. I have been working through my layers of emotion and old baggage. I am no longer afraid to expose certain things, so I guess whipping out a huge hole in my teeth will be symbolic. Hang on for the news! Today was B-Day, Braces day. I was having an anxiety attack going into the appointment. After all, I had no recollection of just how big this gap was going to be. Well, it was bigger than I ever remember. You know it is big when the dentist goes “Oh, yeah, that is a big one.” with his eyes wide open. I said I should have done this years ago and he agreed. Pulling off the bonding was not a big deal, much to my relief.
As I laid in the comfy chair and waited for the orthodontist to come in to start the next phase of fun, I rubbed my teeth along the newly freed gap and thought to myself, "Why wasn’t this taken care of after that horrendous 7th grade picture when I had on my school uniform courtesy of Immaculate Heart of Mary School where my mom made me go?" My mom pulled me out of public school in the 7th grade and put me in Catholic School. Why, did she think she was going to save me? I was the only one of five siblings who had to endure this.
Getting back to present day, I decided not to get caught up in the regrets and anger of the olden days and realized that my path had me wait until this exact moment to go through this experience. The actual putting on of the braces was not bad at all. It took maybe an hour and I relaxed into my yoga breathing and all was fine, except for the dental assistant who kept reminding me that she would rather be home than in work today. Really, are you going to be that disgruntled that you would misalign my smile? At the end of the procedure she worked up enough energy to tell me that she was excited to see how it all would turn out.
After I was given my congratulations and my free Park City Orthodontics T-shirt, I was on my sore-mouthed way to lunch for a friend’s birthday. It became it’s usual giggle fest which was just what I needed after my morning. The ladies reassured me that my gap didn’t look all that big. Okay you all, I know you were lying. It was the perfect way to open up my mouth and show the world that it is okay. I am okay with how I look right now because I know it will all work out in the future. It is a powerful message to love each day and be patient. Be patient because it will take a year for my gap to close. In the meantime, I will be renting myself out as a beer bottle opener at weddings and other events!!
"Dear Past, thank you for all the life lessons you have taught me. Dear Future: I am ready now!:
With love until my next adventure,
P.A. Walker
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