Wisdom teeth

Teeth by SappyMooseTree.com

My husband has been nagging me about getting my regular dental checkup. The dental receptionist remarked to him that I’ve been sending them tons of referrals but they haven’t seen me in well over a year. When my husband asked why I haven’t been in to have my teeth checked, I told him that I find the dentist really hard on me and much more judgmental than my previous one.

It hit me today that sometimes we need this kind of direct and tough interaction in our life in order to cause change and steer us away from harm. I find it so difficult to stick to the positive dental hygiene program of sticking small brushes into my gum pouches and flossing the heck out of my flip-top-head. At the end of it all, I’m sure that taking the time to do these small actions will save a whole world of pain in the future.

Same is true with meditation and practice. The difficulty with sticking with sitting on the cushion, working with my mind, studying and practicing the dharma can feel like it’s overwhelming at times but I’m fueled by the faith that the path I’m following is helping to prevent premature “truth loss” and maintaining good “mental hygiene”.