I Should Have Known Better

A few weeks back, as I sat in the dentist’s chair rigged up with suction, oral instruments and cotton … I started laughing. The hygienist asked why I was laughing and I gestured to my mouth as if to say, “How in the world can I answer that question.” I waved to suggest that I would tell her later. Afterward, as I got up to leave, she asked again why I was laughing.

I told her, “When I was 9, I remember sitting in Dr. Gaylord’s dentist office ready to get the regular teeth cleaning. That hygienist back then got the electronic toothbrush ready and chirped, 'So, which kind of toothpaste do you want today? Yogi Bear or Huckleberry Hound.' What a dilemma! I thought and thought and replied, 'Oh, I’ll take the Yogi Bear.' She then approached and started to whirr my teeth to sparkling white.”

Yeah, so why was I laughing? It just dawned on me at that moment that my hygienist back then very likely had only ONE flavor of toothpaste at her disposal. Somebody must have instructed her to “give kids a choice.” How nice of her to include me in the saga of my own dental care. Kinda makes modern health care a little less mechanistic. At least that’s what it seemed like.

In any case, it's fun to open up memories from time to time and see how active God was in making life a bit more adventurous for you. Keep smiling.