one heck of a dentist appointment

it's a dentist appointment.

really, terri, how can that possibly make you cry with gratitude as you drive home?

so okay, i admit it, my hormones are outta whack.
hot flashes constantly, my face permanently flushed, emotions wavin' up and
down and tears coming easily.

but STILL - but STILL -

it was SUCH a great visit.

i had gone to a 'factory' dentist last year.
(what i call the chain ones that have a gazillion rooms and dentists and
coupons - lovely coupons to get you in there - and when you're in there
you can kinda see it's streamlined for makin' money...)
got told i needed tons of dental work that i didn't have the money for,
and even signed up for one of those payment cards so i could juggle the funds.

then this great thing happened -
i had to wait for my insurance to fully quick in.
so i didn't do anything.
i waited.
and then i got scared.
cause i scare easily.
and then i used every excuse in the book NOT to make a dentist appointment -
including bad weather, and more that i won't even admit.

but i knew i had something i had to take care of.

groan.

so i finally forced myself to make an appointment with a dentist i found on the net.
i decided i wanted a 'real' dentist.
i liked the look of this guy.
i liked the look of his staff.
i liked his wife worked for him.
and i liked his wife put a plug in on the site for her kids to call more often.
i grinned.

totally worth a try.

and you know what?
it was more wonderful than i coulda figured.
truly.
AND the dentist was like a real person.
he talked to me and showed me what was going on
and what we'd need to do now and what we could wait and see about.

but here's the thing -
here's where the tears come in -
for a very very very long time - way back into my married days,
my young mom days - way way back - i have been wanting to have some
dental work done that i couldn't afford.

i've just written it off as not possible and figure by the time it will be possible,
i'll be too old to care anymore.

and there he was, asking me about it.
and telling me he could totally do it for me.
and i could totally afford it.

what?!
what?!

oh my gosh.
i'm gonna do it!
something i've wanted to do for years and years and years and years and years.
cause he's making it happen for me.

so i cried.
i drove home and cried and thought 'you know, he really doesn't have a clue
what he just handed me.' and i thought how wonderful it was that he was there.

and i thought of all the different ways we touch each other, help each other.
and that's where i come to the point of this blog.
(you were wondering, huh?)
he doesn't know.
(but i'll prolly forward this his way so he does know.)
and none of us can really know how we can be there for someone else,
how we can help them.

including 'just' kind words, or understanding, or listening.
i can't seem to get that theme outta my mind lately.

we do not know how we touch each other.
and i'm reminded yet again this morning -
walk softly, listen well, and offer from your heart.