In 1996, when I went through military entrance to the army, The dentist found a cavity in the first molar on the top of the right side, to be specific.  Their standards never supported cosmetic value, only a health-wise, fit-for-duty body.  So they drilled it out and they filled it with amalgam and I was left with a silvery-black piece of my tooth, in clear view every time I opened my mouth.  I never really thought about it, or so I thought.

So, last night I'm crunching on candied peanuts... one crunch didn't feel or sound right and I'm left with a broken tooth... front intact, back half snapped off at the gum line (sorry for the graphic play by play... it wasn't even painful to be honest).  Eight hours, no sleep from being wigged out and worried that I'm gonna' be that guy with the missing tooth in the front because it's totally wasted... the nightmares ensued.

My dentist was able to get me in on a cancellation mid day and after seating me, he assured me that it was repairable.  They rebuilt it using that groovy composite material and UV light.  I'm scheduled for a root canal and possibly a crown in two weeks.  They did a really great job.

A few hours later (when I could talk without sounding like Mush-Mouth), I was having a pint with some friends and one of them made the comment "You must have had a really good day today.".  Of course, I updated her about my long night and afternoon at the dentist and said "So no, kinda'!".  She acknowledged and mentioned that I was smiling a lot.  

I got home and it hit me that for all of these years, I've been ashamed by that blemish in my mouth.  So much, to the point that I crippled and subdued my smile because of it and it became a reflex if I caught myself (I have been griped at for not fully smiling in photos... I still hate photos).  So now it's gone and all of my teeth are normal for the first time in many years and I like smiling again.

Why am I posting this silliness?  Because it also occurred to me how cool it is that sometimes a complete disaster can end up being a blessing and a lesson to ourselves.  After all, these are the ones that make us pay attention, I suppose.

Happy Monday.