So today I had a dentist appointment. I don’t know about you, but it’s one of my least favorite things to do in general. I’d probably rather do dishes than go to the dentist.

We can skip the probably.

Not that my dentist is a monster or anything. Actually, he’s fantastic, great chairside-manner, nice sense of humor, no-nonsense yet kind. And my dental hygienist is fun person as well. It’s like a visit.

Except for the scraping.

Oh how I hate the scraping.

I’m a good dental patient, now at least. There was a time I allowed my dental anxiety to keep me from going. It was much harder to go the first time than it was today.

And I guess that’s the point. Everything has a beginning. Everything has a middle. Often the beginning is the most intimidating part; you don’t know what to expect, you don’t know how it will go. Sometimes it keeps us from moving, from doing.

But then you get to the point when you know how it will go. You know, roughly what will happen. You know what to expect.

It doesn’t make it more pleasant, necessarily. But everything in life has its scraping.

Just remember this: you can get to the middle if you go through the beginning first.

For more on my thoughts about Charlottesville and rising bigotry, please read An Open Letter to My Friends of Color.

Check out  my full-length novels: 

Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only)   

Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended) 

 Her Cousin Much Removed

 The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management.

And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s free!

Peruse Montraps Publishing.