So my braces are off. I feel like a completely different person. It’s ridiculous how something as simple as wires on your mouth can make you feel not quite right. After three and a half years of not being quite right there’s a freedom that can’t adequately be captured in words. Think for a moment what you do with your mouth in one day. What does your mouth mean to you on a regular basis? Then think about the simple meanings as well as the psychological implications of having your mouth bound.
Eating, speaking, kissing… conveying something small like a smile or a frown. The tool for the language you use to express an emotion is tampered with. It may be a tiny tampering but it’s noticeable. The foods you eat or don’t eat because of the difficulty. Something that might have been a comfort food to you your life becomes a pain in the ass to chew or clean up after. The act of making love becomes awkward and unsexy. And believe me – when you don’t feel sexy, it’s just not as good.
All these things add up. The minutia of the day to day functions you accomplish with your mouth are all affected, and you’d be an idiot to think that it doesn’t start to accumulate after time. After my braces came off I ran to Starbucks being as I was still in Vancouver and needed coffee immediately. I had a Marion berry muffin and relished in the process of squishing the tiny raspberry-like seeds between my front teeth with deliberate accuracy. Then I went to Awesome and Adorabella’s where they provided me with carrots. Yes. Carrots. I never thought I’d be so happy to eat my veggies.
Since then I’ve eaten foods like rice and hazelnuts as though I’ve never had them before. I’ve laughed and smiled without insecurity for the first time in my life. I’ve eaten half a pack of watermelon bubblegum with a childlike enthusiasm that almost scares me in its intensity – simply because I had no idea how much something like braces had affected the pleasure of using my mouth. Huh.
This pic is courtesy of Dr. Kuperstein. My early morning mug-shot of my braces being off. If my face were any oiler I could be a spokesperson for Neutrogena.
Now I’m in Utah and I’m trying to catch my breath. I feel like I’ve been running all summer. I have really, but the sudden stop and unpacking knowing I’ll be settled for at least a couple months has left me a little dizzy. I feel like I’m getting my feet back but I’m definitely dragging. That, however, does not diminish the sense of relief in having my nieces and family around as well as the ability to smile without my lips snagging on wires. Plus, I have a surprise of sorts. It’s not big but it’s totally adorable and because I’m still processing I wont post about it until Friday when I have a better read on how I really feel about it. This is my check in for my first week of adventure in Utah. Hold on – there’s sure to be more cows, shit, and Mormons than you’ll ever want to read about!
Recent Comments