My family’s teeth is like an old battle ground. It started with my father and his small mouth that allows teeth to grow crooked like nails bent out of shape. He grew up with all of the works, braces, retainers, and headgear. The kind of headgear that couldn’t hide in the shadows of your bedroom.  My sister and I have both had two lovely sets of braces that felt like weights were glued to your teeth and your teeth proceeded to dance around in your mouth. My little brother is not yet of age to experience the splendidness of the small mouth...  His time will come. We guard our teeth until they have spent years training to stand as still and aligned as an army.
     

Then there is my mother, her teeth are constantly surrounded by a smile that sings with comfort and peace. She has 32 polished pearls that perfectly articulate the millions of words my mother says. Unlike the rest of her family, her teeth are a gift from the angels, no metal necessary. Every thing that comes out of her mouth only brings attention to the glorious glow that radiates from her teeth.  Her face contains only her natural beauty, as clean and pure as a fresh bar of soap. My mother surrounds her teeth with nothing but a thin layer of classic chapstick. A kind of beauty that can only be replicated with makeup. My mother has a smile that is contagious. Nothing makes me happier than coming home and seeing the smile on my mother’s face, bringing me nothing but comfort and peace. Comfort and peace.