Okay, this is yet another version of the same Christmas column I’ve been writing since before LeBron. And what’s more traditional than the Holidays, It’s a Wonderful Life, digital everything, and Elf on the Shelf?
And it doesn’t seem that long ago when Christmas held more wonder than I could manage. And the wonder is still there…when you’re looking for it.
Don’t know about you, but back in The Day, beginning weeks before December 25, I used to get so excited I couldn’t sleep and when I finally closed my eyes, I couldn’t wait to wake up just to see the Christmas tree proudly standing in our living room. And things haven’t changed that much, except the only tree I have standing these days looks like a Charlie Brown/Grinch hybrid. And it’s been since the spring of 2022 that I hung up the drill, the shield, and the gown; and just like I’d regard the older, retired folks who used to tell me they were busier than ever, my friends and family think I’m a liar these days too.
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And maybe I’m missing dentistry, but not so fast my friend! I’m still in dentistry; I’m just not doing the dirty work. Consulting, mentoring high school kids, leading Invisalign study clubs, writing and recruiting content for a professional journal (Oops, dentists apparently don’t read like they used to, and the Journal flatlined after 12-years), sharing quotes and video commentaries for dental practices Monday through Friday, and walking 6-miles per day consume some serious time. One of my 2022 goals was to hit golf balls every day on my way to becoming a scratch golfer. To date, I’m more of an occasional golfer who occasionally scratches.
The cool thing about being a dentist, active or retired, is the opportunity for relationships with people you see as friends and family, and the chance to keep on being productive, and making a difference for others. And it’s magical that sharing experiences (especially, with young people interested in a health science career) can transform past mistakes and miscalculations into teaching opportunities. So much to be grateful for.
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So, on a less serious, pontificating note but without further delay, I give you my annual Top Ten Santa Wish List, almost totally devoid of sarcastic, un-Christmas-like shots at USC Football, Kanye, Michael Bolton, and the return of you-know-who:
#10: Please Santa, no more televised Coach Lincoln Riley nightmares. I’m afraid to stay awake on Saturdays!
#9: Eyebrows and flexible hamstrings please.
#8: Please Santa, longer attention spans all around!
#7: Everyone instinctively flosses every dang day! Dental Hygienists finally experience joy.
#6: Random acts of kindness replace all the way too many random acts of hate.
#5: Research finally shows chorizo burritos add decades to human life expectancy.
#4: Please Santa, I just need an upgrade eyeball superpower (like in Carrie, 1976) to make Tesla Cybertrucks invisible BEFORE I see them.
#3: A long shot Santa, but I’ve been good. Vladimir Putin suffers a fatal case of crabs after medicating with Clorox and a flashlight.
#2: A digital and AI solution for my golf swing, and I promise I’ll always eat all my kale. Really.
And (drumroll)…#1: Everyone within six degrees of separation and beyond has a healthy Holiday, feels like a kid again, and successfully looks and listens for peace, prosperity, and fulfillment in 2025.
Merry Christmas!