all things old are new again

I am certain I looked at least slightly strange to Brier Creek passersby as I sat in my Prius this afternoon, grinning broadly and intently into my rear view mirror. My sudden fascination with my own bicuspids was the result of my first visit to a dentist in two years. Growing up I visited my family's dentist, Dr. Grinder (no, I am not making that up), without fail every six months. I loved everything about these visits - the array of celebrity gossip rags I could greedily peruse while I waited to be called back, the ever chatty hygenist (Jeannie) who was blonde and actually reminded me of "I Dream of Jeannie," the brief visit with Dr. Grinder himself who always approved of my dental hygiene habits, and the uber-clean, slick sensation I felt as I ran my tongue across my newly scrubbed chops.

When I left my full time teaching job two years ago, I simultaneously lost the luxury of having a monstrous chunk of medical insurance paid for by my employer. Since plaque-ridden teeth don't count as catastrophic,  my pleasant jaunts to the neighborhood dentist stopped abruptly. I have recently learned that one of the benefits of getting married is joining your husband's company insurance plan.

Today I walked into Carolina Dental Arts, a startlingly trendy and fancy dentist's office, with mixed emotions. On one hand I could not wait to have sparkling canines again. On the other, I was terrified that after two years without professional dental care I would hear the dreaded word, "CAVITY." To my great surprise I passed this new dentist's scrutiny with ease. No cavities! And my current insurance plan has a $0 copay for routine dental appointments. Bliss! My teeth look and feel like new.

Last week I visited Salon Blu and had my hair cut the shortest it's been in several years. Between my updated hairdo and my squeaky clean smile, I have felt like a new person all day long! It amazes me sometimes how a few little superficial changes can create such a feeling of happiness and proactivity. I'm not certain that men operate this way, but I know plenty of women who do. So ladies, how 'bout it? What makes you feel new again, superficially, spiritually, or in a way that is totally unique to you? I'm thankful today that God created our world to constantly change, often offering us little surprises and light bulb moments that delight us - whether we have affected the change or not. I'm smiling just thinking about it...dentist approved.