worry – Patricia's Place

Some tortures are physical
And some are mental
But the one that is both
Is dental
Ogden Nash

Yesterday I went to the dentist. Time for the 6 month check up and cleaning.
There was a time when the Ogden Nash quote was true for me. A dental appointment was something that sometimes made physically ill. When it was a couple of days before an appointment I would begin to worry and imagine how awful it was going to be even if was just cleaning and check up. Sometimes I would cancel the appointment because I made myself sick thinking about it. My stomach would rumble and my head would ache and I had trouble sleeping.

I think my problems started early on. My parents didn’t take us to the dentist unless they could see a cavity and it hurt so bad that even the numbing cream they would smear on our gums didn’t work. And of course, we never went for preventive treatment so, there was always a filling or extraction needed. Add to the fact there was much pain I don’t think the dentist we went to liked kids. He would complain and was anything but understanding or in any way gentle. But maybe I just remember him that way because it was such a painful experience for me.

Even as an adult I had a hard time thinking about going to the the dentist. When I decided I needed a new dentist I went shopping for one. I went for a check up and interviewed three dentists. I picked one and he has been my dentist for 27 years! Do I need to say more?

Well, I will say more. I was one of his first patients. He is kind and thoughtful and does great work. He has done some extensive work on my teeth. Some of it was making what other dentists did look better and some was needed because of poor dental care in the past. Of course, there have been things that popped up over the years…root canals, crowns, fillings. Today he found a cavity. First I have had in a few years! It’s in a tooth that had a root canal and crown done a long time ago and now has a cavity along the gum line. Bummer.

I don’t worry before an appointment anymore. I know all will be fine.
I am ever so thankful I have a wonderful dentist, Tom.
Oh, and I have told him he cannot retire until I’m dead!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels .com

Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.
Swedish Proverb

Sometimes I worry but not often and not for long. It’s just not my nature. That wasn’t always true. There was a time that I worried all the time. Sometimes I would get sick with worry. What a waste of time and energy!

I have a friend who is a missionary in west Africa. Many years ago she and her co-workers were held captive in their village by rebel insurgents. To say I was worried is an understatement. There was no communication with the missionaries or the rebels. Just silence for two weeks.

I was at work when I got the news. I was so upset and worried that I couldn’t think. It was as if there was a big black cloud hovering over me. I couldn’t just leave work so I decided that the first five minutes of every hour I would let myself worry uncontrolled. Then I would pray for my friend and the others being held. After that I went back to the tasks at hand.

The missionaries were released and allowed to use their vehicles to get to the river and cross over into an area that was safe where others from the mission family were waiting. Thankfully, no one was hurt although they were not allowed to take anything with them, just the vehicles and the clothes they were wearing.

It was amazing how that little exercise helped me. It calmed me down and gave me hope. Over the years I used the exercise quite often and each time I found peace. Now I don’t allow worry to take hold of me and there are no big black clouds or shadows that hover. If it seems worry is going to be stronger than my resolve I remember that I am in control of what and how I think about any situation. It is not that there is nothing worrisome in life it just doesn’t cast a big shadow.

My friend (and the others were all fine) and she is still a missionary in Africa.

Photo by Henda Wantani on Pixels.com