Eric, you would think that with all this time on my hands, I would have replied to you much sooner! But I guess that thing they say about busy people being more productive is true. Actually, I saw it and then forgot to circle back, so here I am! And not much has changed, has it? Maybe just that we are all a little more used to this lifestyle for the moment.

That is great that you created a schedule for yourself. I’m sure it is exactly what you needed at the time. Then after surgery (which I agree, I hope you never have to do again,) your priorities shifted, and you were better able to adapt to the new way of life. How wonderful that along the way you discovered so much more about yourself and what is important to you.

As for your final paragraphs, I do think people are doing some of that. As you can imagine, the first 3 weeks of “lock down” were silent around here. Most dentists were in crisis mode and just trying to get things together. Now, suddenly in the past 2 weeks, I’m hearing from a lot of people who are really evaluating their lives and realizing that now is a time of opportunity… the same opportunity you had to do those things you never would have done with your busy dental schedule. This comes with a lot of uncertainty and some bad consequences, but hopefully we can find some good in this forced time of self-reflection.

The idea of entering the store was not even a possibility (we live in a state which has mandatory stay-in-place order), so I pre-ordered everything online for her. Upon arriving for curbside pick-up, I was greeted by several people who were wearing protective suits reminiscent of Darth Vader. They seemed more protected from customers than many of the health-care providers I’ve seen on TV, attempting to treat patients in conditions that wouldn’t even pass a dental office OSHA inspection!

We are definitely living in a an era that many could not ever imagined, even 4 months ago.

I applaud you for finding some positive aspects in this horrible condition of which we are all a part.

When I left dentistry 2 years ago, I initially felt the need to create a schedule for every single hour of every day — specific times allotted for meals, certain hours for projects inside the home, other times for yardwork, others for breaks and “down-time”, etc. I’m sure it was because I had lived my life (at the office) on a regimented schedule for 35 years! Following those first few weeks, I needed to have a surgical procedure, which required 6 weeks of recovery and a year and a half of PT. That changed everything. When I emerged from that experience (which I’d never want to repeat, btw!), I had a completely different perspective.

My schedule was tossed aside. Actually, it was shredded. Instead, I focused on things I knew I wanted to get done, but had previously brushed aside or conveniently forgotten about. Some were not all that pleasant to deal with (like updating my will, and all the associated directions for my survivors), but I finally had the time to get them done. And when I finished each item on my list (despite it being a moving target), I felt a sense of accomplishment. If I had been adhering to the strict schedule I had initially created for myself — or was still working at the office — I’m not sure I’d ever have gotten them done.

It also gave me the time to discover and focus on things that really mattered to me, and things I loved to be doing. Suddenly I had the time to do that.

I loved what you wrote near the end of this piece – “I’m not trying to convince you how great this time should be or all the reasons you should feel positive and grateful. You should feel whatever it is you feel…” Undoubtedly, this is an unbelievably scary time. It is NOT good. But I hope that those who are still working in dentistry — but unable to go into the office and make a living right now — will be able to find a moment to at least regard it as an opportunity to step back and take a breath and re-evaluate everything, whether it be a change in direction, or improvements, or a complete overhaul of their practice. Or maybe even something more — like a chance to begin an entirely new path, completely outside of dentistry.

We each need to take a few moments of calmness and think about our life, and the ones we are closest too… because, regardless whether or not the current health care crisis ever happened, we really are here for only a very short time. There are only a few things in life that are important. I mean, REALLY important… and I know everyone knows what they are. I hope people can use this terrible and challenging time to give it a thought. And find some hope… because it is there. We are strong. Each one of has the ability to make it, no matter which path we decide to create.