Well, the latest indicator that I’m getting “older” took place yesterday. I had a root canal. To be accurate, I endured the first part of a three-part root canal procedure. The fun is far from over.
I was experiencing intense pain in my bottom right molars while my recent holiday on Vancouver Island was wrapping up and as luck would have it, I had a dentist appointment scheduled here in Toronto two days after arriving home. Yay. I see the divine timing. The universe never ceases to amaze me.
After taking an x-ray of my molars, my dentist called over to an endodontist in the area who could take me right away and end the pain quickly. Yay again. I feel gratitude. Such abundance, such access. Me and my first world problems.
The endodontist who worked on my tooth had a fabulous sense of humour and made the multiple needles and drilling in my mouth quite bearable. We had quite the witty repartee going at one point and while lying in a dental chair on an angle that never seems natural, I actually laughed (out loud) a few times. I wonder how many times laughter has been heard from a room where a root canal is taking place. My guess is that with this man, many times. This man definitely subscribes to the philosophy that work can either be drudgery or fun and he chooses fun. Yay Dr. Zareh Ouzounian. I choose fun too. Might as well laugh…it releases good feeling chemicals into your bloodstream that are normally very expensive and highly illegal which really helps if you’re in pain.
The procedure that Dr. Ouzounian performed on me yesterday was a pulpectomy which is the removal of infected pulp – the tooth’s cells and tissues. I learned from Dr. Ouzounian that any procedure ending in –tomy refers to the removal of something from the human body. I did a quick brainstorm of “tomys” and I’ll happily take a pulpectomy over a mastectomy, hysterectomy, or lobotomy. Yay pulpectomy. I gain immense perspective. Can I get an amen?
I walked home and soaked up the mid-July sun. Ah, the heat is on. Yay summer. I feel grateful that I am not trudging through snow with this amount of freezing in my mouth…one frozen part of my body is enough.
The client that I was supposed to talk to that day (and had to bail on due to impromptu dental surgery) couldn’t have been more understanding about it. Yay Stephanie. I feel more gratitude. Appearing to a client like a lose canon who forgets phone meetings is what they call adding insult to injury…glad to have dodged the double-whamy.
And I called my mother twice throughout the day because well, when you’re in pain, you want your mommy. She listened. She cared. She sternly told me that if the tooth abscesses, to get my ass back to the endodontist. Cue the Jann Arden song. Yay for my good mother. (Her voice is what keeps me here.) Of course she called this morning to check in on me. Of course she did. I am loved.
Despite the title of this post, this particular predicament wasn’t what I would classify as a crisis. Let’s reserve that word for life-threatening situations only. This was more of a challenge. With a crisis or a challenge brings all kinds of opportunity. Yesterday I was given opportunities to marvel at the universe, see the gifts, connect with a like-minded soul, and to remember my true nature (which is joy).
Blessings received. Awareness achieved. Perfection believed.
The chinese character that is used for the word, crisis, is the same one used for the word, opportunity.
They are one in the same when you are wide awake and see beyond the drama.
Everything that comes your way is an opportunity to be the real you. Lightness. Laughter. Wonder.
Find your way “home” to JOY by slowing down and seeing how this crisis or challenge is happening for you.
Yay consciousness.
Big Love,
susan