Tough Love

You never know where your next life lesson awaits. For me, today, it was at the dental office where I went to have the stitches removed after a tooth extraction last week. The hygienist who did the deed was quite nice and very helpful, open to all my questions concerning how to treat the now gaping hole in my gum until it gets filled with whatever I decide to fill it with three months from now.

Afraid I might do some lasting damage if I go at it with a toothbrush, yet worried that steering clear of it altogether would be even worse for the health of the tissue, I sought her advice. Her answer was stunningly simple: Brush the entire area and don't worry if it hurts or even bleeds a little. "Remember," she explained, "there's a difference between hurting and harming. Don't worry if it hurts a little; be assured, you won't be harming anything."

I suddenly realized that bit of advice for post-surgical care is applicable to a host of human interactions. And so easy to remember.