This morning I had a dentist appointment. I’m not afraid of the dentist, but its not really one of my favorite ways to spend a morning…

Last night I read passage from one of my teachers that said, "we’re always waiting for the next moment, the next meal, the next day for things to be better." When we look outside of ourselves for contentment, we suffer.

That writing hit home with me this morning in the dentist chair.

I wanted to be somewhere else…but it seems like I often want to be somewhere else. When are we in the moment, in our lives, accepting it just as it is…even at the dentist? If we aren’t in the moment of our life (whatever that moment is) we are missing our life. No one is home and we’re missing out on the richness of the moment. Richness of the moment in a dentist’s office with someone’s hands in your mouth scraping your teeth? What richness??? I wanna get outta here!

So, I tried it. In the chair this morning, I tried to practice BEING THERE. Now hoping it was over soon, not wishing I were at Starbucks, not avoiding the reality of the moment.

And, when I gave that moment some space, I realized I was okay. It wasn’t SO bad. I noticed how nice the hygenist was. I could appreciate the view. I could see the effort my dentist made to make his office comfortable and so I could relax.

And then? I felt happy! I have a good dentist. I’m grateful. And it was all much better.

Being present. Even at the dentist.