Don’t worry. I am in no way implying that my mind thinks like the brilliant and hilarious Jerry Seinfeld. BUT, I do have to say that I remind myself of him in one particular area: we both have managed to create something out of nothing. When Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza pitched their idea for a sitcom to NBC they told them “it’s a show about NOTHING.” When asked what happens in this show, George emphatically tells them, “NOTHING happens…what did you do today?” NBC: “I got up and came to work.” George: “There’s a show! THAT’S a show!” And for 9 seasons they managed to sustain a cult following for a “show about nothing.”
When people ask me what I write about, the answer is sort of the same. NOTHING. Or maybe a better answer is EVERYTHING. Everywhere I go, events and people trigger thoughts that make me NEED to write a blog about it. I can’t stop myself. And in that vein, I give you….in Seinfeld Fashion…THE DENTIST (don’t worry, if you watch Seinfeld it is in no way similar to the DENTIST episode. So you can relax 😜)
Remember when I was rushing to finish my last blog? I had to go get a cavity filled. Up until the past 5 years, my kids have been blessed to see a dentist who is a family friend. When our life flipped upside down, we had to change many things, and that was one of them. New house, new job, new friends, new schools, new church, new doctor, new dentist. And while we are on the dental subject, I should confess that I have pretty deep seated issues with dentists. It’s possible it started when I was little and had to get a filling. According to my mother, I got very nervous and either accidentally or on purpose, kicked the nice dentist in his most delicate parts. Only he wasn’t very nice after that, and that scared me too. Apparently the dentist thought I did it intentionally, because after the visit he gave my mother her very own copy of “Dare to Discipline” by James Dobson. Ever since that episode, I have sat in the dentist chair with trepidation.
But not at Renken Dentistry. Even the name of this place rolls off my tongue like I am going to the spa. Even my kids actually look forward to going to the Dentist now! It’s crazy. When they lead you through the doors to your appointment, they chat happily while Mumford or Adele or the Eagles play in the background. All the employees, every last one of them, is chipper and has “smiley” eyes that peek over their masks while they clean your teeth. We talk about prom dresses and crock pot cooking and our favorite flavor of tooth polish. I have had a few fillings there as well as a root canal. I can tell that one of their main goals is to take any apprehension out of the dental visit. I know they sense my fears (as I cling to the arms of the chair) because they ask me repeatedly if I am feeling ok and if it hurts and then praise me for doing a good job when it’s over. I remember hearing (and if you are a dentist, please don’t take offense at this) that dentists have a tendency toward depression directly related to the job they do. Let’s face it, not many people LIKE going to the dentist. Whether or not that’s true, it seems like it would make sense if it were.
Now—to get to the point….the difference between my Dental Spa and other Dental Offices, is their approach—their attitude. They still give me shots and drill and floss. That is the same. But because of their philosophy of dispelling people’s fears and exuding a happy, positive spirit, I always leave there feeling uplifted. So, I ask myself and you—can we try live that way too? Would it kill me to try to approach my unpleasant circumstances with this same spirit? Let’s face it, life is hard. It thoroughly sucks on some days.
And even if YOUR day is going well, chances are that others are suffering. What would happen in our world if we addressed the fact that people are generally as apprehensive about their lives as they are about going to the dentist. Maybe YOUR approach, your positivity, your smile as you open the door for a stranger, could help them move forward with a lighter spirit.
If it can happen at a DENTIST office…
*And there you go: A BLOG ABOUT NOTHING. “There’s a blog! THAT’S a blog!”
