Love in a toothbrush

I went to the dentist today. I LOVE going to the dentist. Really. I love getting my teeth cleaned. Its in my 100 things I love.

I love the technology at my dentists office. Everything is so quick and efficient. No waiting to see the x-rays. The image is on the screen before I can get the dang thing out of my mouth. Incredible to me.

I love getting a new toothbrush at the end of the visit. I love that it is just given to me in a little bag, with floss, and a tiny thing of my own toothpaste.

***
I love talking to people in the waiting room. Normally I never have to wait, but today I was early. (shocker!)

There was an older gentlemen in the lobby. This man came into the office beaming, with a plastic baggie full of photos of his grandson. Their were a few of his daughter. She was his pride, but this grandson was his joy.

He could have talked all morning about his love for his family. He told me that he and his wife had been married almost 50 years. You could just feel the love that he had for his family.

He talked of his sons. I asked where they lived. And he said "oh they are not living any longer." Tears stung my eyes as he told me the story of how they had died at age 15 and 12 a few years apart from a genetic heart problem. I was touched by how he talked so matter of factly about them, and how his daughter and grandson have been and will continue to have their hearts extensively tested.

He talked with me about how different boys and girls are. He shared about how when his wife was finished nursing, they would give their kids bottles. He said the boys would throw them down when they were finished, and the daughter would daintily sit hers down.

He told me how they have helped their daughter remember her brothers. I could feel this mans love for his family. He is an amazing husband, father and grandfather. I loved how I knew without a doubt his feelings for his family. If I felt that way, from a short waiting room visit, imagine how much he must show his family his devotion.

***

A few weeks ago Jay cleaned out one of our bathroom drawers. The one that has the toothpaste and toothbrushes in it. It was so clean I thought I would go sanitize all of the toothbrushes. I did not love how yucky they looked compared to the clean compartments in the drawer.

I gathered the drawer full and then grabbed all the ones from the upstairs sink. Funny how a family of 6 had almost 20 toothbrushes.

I filled a pot of water, brought it to a boil. I felt so good- the drawer was clean, the toothbrushes would be clean and germ free. I would love seeing the draw and everything in it all clean.

I went to go check on the pot and just stood staring at my clean, but very twisted toothbrushes.

They now looked like really long handled mini size hairbrushes.

Or some kind of back massage brush.

Even the ends were all twisty. Crazy.
So I had to go buy new toothbrushes. Times 6. My plan to not buy toothbrushes back fired. Next time I will just buy new ones in the first place.

***
Back to today when I went to the dentist. I love going to the dentist. (did I already say that?)
I got great conversation filled with Love. My mouth felt lovely. I loved that I did not have any cavities. AND, and I got a very clean, very new toothbrush. Love.