Here’s to 250 More
By Dr. John F. Miller, DDS – Smile Montana
Two hundred and fifty years. Also known as semiquincentennial. Hell of a spelling bee word if you ask me. "Can you use it in a sentence please?" "The United States of America just celebrated its semiquincentennial anniversary on July 4th, 2026."
I had big plans, you know. Back in like April I was going to order the American flag overalls and the Bald Eagle trucker hat. I was going to get stickers in the shape of stars and tape off the stripes and spray tan my back with my kids. But it was only April and I had plenty of time before it was too late. You guys know how this story ends.
Regardless, I celebrated properly with my family, friends, and neighbors. And even though I didn't look as patriotic as I had hoped, I sure as hell felt patriotic!! Due to the semiquincentennial placebo effect the BBQ tasted better, the fireworks were bigger, louder and brighter, and the stars and stripes popped extra hard off of our flag against a bright blue Big Sky.
Within my little family we have our traditions, our rituals, our go-to meals, our go-to activities, and our go-to movies. I'm sure most every family is like this in some fashion. One of our movies is the Peanut Butter Falcon. One of our favorite parts is when Tyler (played by Shia LaBeouf) asks his new and unexpected travel companion Zak (played by Zack Gottsagen) what rule #1 is. His question lingers in the air as they are walking and finally Zak answers, "PARTY!" That is not the answer Tyler was looking for but I really relate to Zak's answer.
What is the point of all of this Freedom if we are not having a little (or a lot of) fun every now and then? We need to be actively seeking out the FUN in life. Not passively. Make a plan to find some fun everyday with your people or even alone. Every once in a while we need to smile and laugh so long and hard that our face hurts. All of our greatest core memories are memories of experiencing joy. So, make some memories and bank up some joy reserves for the future.
I have adult children now who no longer live with me. What memories have I left them with? What memories have I yet to create with them? Will they say, "Dad was fun?" Sorry, I meant "Dad is fun!!" For sure they will. Zak was right, rule #1 should be "party." Reasonably and responsibly. Fun is always more fun when the work is done.
Sitting with my wife Juli at the end of it all I exclaimed that 50 years is really the "special" interval. Meaning we won't get all worked up again until 300. Don't misunderstand me, America gets worked up every year but just like birthdays, the fives and zeroes are a little more...special. So with that in mind this was really my 1st "special" Fourth of July and I won't see another one until I'm 95!! Maybe I don't want to see another one? So guess what y'all? I'm just going to make them all special from here on out. I invite you to join me.
Teeth are also very special and I encourage you to treat them as such. Like every day, not just the mornings of your dental appointments. There is a direct correlation between quality of teeth and quality of life. I'm not going to get too intense on the teeth thing this time around so I just invite you to be honest with yourself. Are you taking good care of your teeth? Good enough care that any and all potential pathologies (tooth decay, gum disease) are prevented?
You can't truly know without having regular check-ups with your dental provider. I've gone over it quite a few times now in 406 Woman, but dental pathologies typically don't start to hurt until significant damage has been done that is significantly more expensive to repair. And one last thing while I'm still up here on my soapbox, x-rays are not dangerous and are so very important for the dental team in diagnosing your oral condition.
I asked you a question like 104 words ago. I asked, "Are you taking good care of your teeth?" Every day that I work I examine a patient's x-rays and teeth and I get the pleasure of telling them, "your teeth and gums are in perfect health, whatever you're doing keep doing it," makes my day.
Happy 250th American birthday folks. If it's not obvious, I have lived in this great country my entire life. My life has panned out far better than I deserve and the last thing you will ever get out of me is a disparaging remark towards our nation. Let's seek out the fun in life, let's take good care of our teeth, and then let's PARTY like it's 2076.
Read Here’s to 250 More by Dr. John F. Miller, DDS, in 406 Woman magazine.