PERFECTLY IMPERFECT?
"Say cheese!"
"Hey! Let's take a picture?"
"Poniso, join our picture."
"Let's have family pictures taken."
Four phrases heard almost every day. Funny enough, many aren't filled with dread upon hearing these words. For people like myself, the utterance of these phrases brings about an uneasiness. Let's go back to 2004 to when my story begins.
A fifth grader with a mouth full of one too many baby teeth. My story begins with a "lump" growing right above my upper-left canine. Not too long after, the same happens on the right side of my mouth. That, my friends, was the start of my photo phobia.
Fast forward a few years later, my teeth are now fully developed and I have two misplaced canines and two misaligned incisors. Talk about a blow to my self esteem. Sometime in 2012, I got my first set of braces. I had those on for about three months. Basically, they were more or less like retainers in the sense that they weren't permanent and had to be removed when eating and brushing. Nevertheless, I was delighted with the development- I was one step closer to "fixing" myself. Shortly, I went to get another pair which I had on for about six to nine months. Again, I didn't mind having to wear them because my journey to perfect teeth had just begun.
My nightmare begun after having snapped one of wires in my braces. My visit to the orthodontist revealed to me that my journey to dental perfection had just begun. Turns out I needed yet another set seeing as the ones I had on already had done their job and were no longer needed. After a consultation, I came back to have my braces taken out a few days later. There I was, back to square one. Would my nightmare end?
Of late I have taken the more positive approach. Hard as it may be, I try to look passed my flaws. Trust me, it easy to look at yourself in the mirror and see something that you so badly want to fix but can't seem to at the moment. But hey, let's just call it my trademark ;) I think the bigger picture here is first me embracing myself. I think only then will I find satisfaction.
*Crooked Smile- J. Cole ft TLC (lyrics video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCxaXqwRhvw
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