Well, March 15th was the day we followed the American Dental Association’s recommendation that all dental offices close to non-urgent dental care due to COVID19.  The American Dental Association is helping dentists with suggestions on how to improve the safety of everyone who visits and works in the dental office and is deferring to local jurisdictions on when to reopen.  During this extraordinarily strange time, I’ve had the chance to feel a myriad of feelings including disbelief, disorientation, anxiety, fear, anger, loss, and sadness.  Then, as my sugar snap pea seeds sprouted out of the ground, as my children settled into their new online school routine where the stress of busywork was suddenly erased, as I read books I had wanted to read but hadn’t, as I tried new recipes in the kitchen cooking meals and baking desserts, as I selected courses to take to expand skills of interest, as I started appreciating long hours of freedom from a hectic schedule, as I enjoyed more unhurried time with my children and thought of what kind of legacy I want to leave behind, I realized these are the gifts from a situation I would never wish to have happened.  We did not have a choice to have COVID19 in our midst.  While I’m unhappy that this situation that is causing so much suffering wasn’t stopped in January the way Taiwan stopped it, I’m determined to make sure to appreciate these crises opportunities to grow and to help.  I want to be part of humanity that shines.  I’m looking forward to when we don’t have to social distance so much.  Be safe, be well.