Still Got Most of My Teeth

Yesterday I visited the dentist for a couple of fillings. As you know, part of the art of dentistry is conversation. They need to distract you while they jab you with the needle. Otherwise, you might bite off a finger. 

So the dentist opened with a question, "Anything exciting happening today?" 

I answered, "Actually you are the excitement for the day, maybe for the week."

The dental assistant saw I was still ready to bite, so she waded in, "Nice bright day. Looks like spring is on the way. What do you think?"

I offered a lame joke, "I'm going to plant tomatoes next week."

Polite laughter all around. It worked. I unclenched my jaw and got jabbed. There followed half an hour of banter about who grew what last year and plans for the garden this year. I listened in for awhile but said nothing because I was otherwise occupied. The dentist did a good job and kept all his fingers.

Life is, on the whole, more exciting than getting teeth filled. Is it my imagination or are we in more trouble than usual? We are always in trouble, of course; but just now there is Russia invading Ukraine exacerbating inflation in the wake of pandemic, and looming in the background the biosphere coming undone because of human addiction to energy, consumption and growth. We respond to such threats with anger, fear and grief; but there will be fewer body parts lost if we think before fighting, fleeing, or giving up. So we mentally take things to pieces and put them back together to see how they work.

Taking the global holarchy apart is a major project. Could take half an hour or more. The first thing you notice is that the trouble maker is usually us. 

That's as far as I got. 

Then the dentist said, "So what do you think of what's happening in Ukraine?"

I was surprised that there were no fingers or hardware in my mouth and that I was expected to say something. "Sorry. I was zoned out. You know, you two have a great routine going. I was almost asleep. Didn't feel a thing. You should do a podcast. Call it 'Trance and Dental Meditation'".

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