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Story · Ajahn Brahm

The dentist appointment that never happened

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Contentment in the Moment | Ajahn Brahm | 16 June 2020

1 min read

The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

one of my earliest memories is when my mother told me I didn't need to go to school the following morning. I must have been about six or seven, or eight, maybe. I said: “Yeah! I don't need to go to school tomorrow morning!”, and because my mother said I had to go to the dentist I said: “I think, I'd rather go to school, mom”, but she said: “No, you have to go to the dentist”. And those were the days, where the dentists, oh, they had these drills, they had these sharp pointers, which they picked your teeth. It was like going to a torture chamber, and so I was very upset as I don't want to go to the dentist, and I started crying, I started throwing a tantrum. I didn't want to go, but my mother said: “You had to go”. So, I went to bed, and I was really upset. I didn't sleep well, I was trying to think of all ways to get out of going to the dentist tomorrow morning, and when I woke up, I decided on my plan. Never underestimate kids, because even kids they got some plans, which I thought would certainly work. I told my mother: “You can't love me. You don't love me, do you, mommy? Because you're sending me to the dentist”. It didn't work, of course. She dragged me to that dentist, screaming and kicking. And I always remember that, when I got to the dentist's surgery, there was a sign on the dentist surgery's door “Closed” because a dentist was sick. I remember that all that suffering, all that kicking and screaming, all that crying and not sleeping well, I was worried about something, which never happened, but it taught me a very good lesson

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 7:07 (to 8:57)

A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Terrified of the dentist at seven, young Ajahn Brahm begged, sobbed and barely slept, then was dragged there to find a sign: closed, the dentist was ill. All that misery over something that never happened. Worry steals today for a future that may not come. Watch the rain, the trees, this moment.

In brief (our summary)

At about seven, terrified of the dentist, the young Ajahn Brahm tries every trick — “Mummy, you don't love me, you're sending me to the torturer!” He sleeps badly with worry and is dragged there screaming and crying the next morning — only to find his appointment has been cancelled.

Teaching point

The future is unpredictable; worrying about it is wasted pain.

When this story may help

  • anxiety about appointments
  • worrying about the future
  • children's fears

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Contentment in the Moment | Ajahn Brahm | 16 June 2020 · 2020-06-16 · ▶ watch from 7:07 to 8:57 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: Manual (volunteer) captions; occasional misspellings kept as is.

The narrative is Ajahn Brahm's own telling, quoted from the talk captions. The summary and reflection are Being Mindful Stories's editorial notes. Please credit the teacher and link the original talk. Markdown version

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