Sharon came with me to the dentist today.

I've spent a lot of time in dentist's chairs over the years. I almost died as an infant. High fevers and antibiotics caused the teeth forming in my gums to emerge discolored and misshapen. My front teeth were capped when I was fifteen. I was so nervous that the dentist had to hypnotize me.

But now I have Sharon to guide me, as I prepare to get more teeth capped.

The novacaine needle slips into my gums, and I wish myself lovingkindness. "May I be safe," I whisper to myself. "May I be happy, May I be healthy, May I live with ease..."

The smell of burning teeth being ground to a pulp is not pleasant, but I continue to wish myself well. My dentist uses two different drills, one heavy, with a vibration that shakes my whole body, one light and high pitched. Water sprays everywhere.

I continue to wrap myself in the loving words Sharon has taught me. "May I be safe..." I say as the debris of my old teeth is sucked out of my mouth. I lie in the dentist's chair feeling calm, happy and loved.

Next my dentist has to make molds of my teeth, and I dread the feeling of chemical goop oozing around them, filling my mouth, hardening slowly.

But I turn on my ipod and Sharon's voice fills my ears. She helps me through the last twenty minutes of my appointment. I wish myself all the love I never felt I deserved before I learned lovingkindness meditation.

One mold doesn't come out right. We have to do another. But my dentist is so kind as he sticks a steel tray full of horrible smelling chemicals into my mouth yet again. "May you be safe," I think to myself, wishing my dentist lovingkindness. "May you be happy, May you be healthy, May you live with ease." I am filled with gratitude for him, and for the technology that made fixing my broken teeth possible.

My appointment is over.

I bid Sharon goodbye and celebrate our successful outing to the dentist  by blasting Adele's Rolling in the Deep into my ears.

Thank you Sharon. This 28 day meditation challenge came at the perfect time for me.

In fact, I've learned that every time I sit down to meditate is the perfect time. We can always begin again.