Today
is Leap Day! We only experience this day once every four years. Do you
know why? The earth makes a complete revolution around the sun in 365
days and 6 hours, or so. Thus, every four years, one extra day is added
to the calendar in order to coordinate with the sun’s approximate
position.
Leap
days were introduced into the calendar through the reforms of Julius
Caesar in 46 B.C. Most societies have replaced the Julian calendar by
the Gregorian calendar (introduced in 1582 A.D.), which more accurately
accounts for the rotation of the earth around the sun.
People
who are born on Leap Day are known as “leaplings” or “leap year
babies.” Most “leaplings” celebrate their birthdays on February 28th or March 1st.
In some countries, they calculate time intervals differently so
“leaplings” must celebrate their birthdays according to the laws of the
country in which they reside.
Historic events on Leap Day:
1504 - Christopher Columbus used his knowledge of the lunar eclipse to communicate with Native Americans in the New World.
1704 - French and Native Americans fighting in Queen Anne’s War raid Deerfield, Massachusetts.
1796 - The Jay Treaty is signed between the United States and Great Britain.
1940 - Hattie McDaniel, who played “Mammie” in Gone with the Wind, became the first African American woman to win an Academy Award.
1956 - General Dwight D. Eisenhower announces his bid for re-election to the office of President of the United States.
1972 - Hank Aaron became the first player in Major League Baseball history to sign a contract for $200,000.
1980 - Gordie Howe, hockey player for the Hartford Whalers, scored his 800th goal.
1988 - South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu was arrested for participating in an anti-apartheid demonstration in Cape Town.
You
may be wondering what Leap Day/Year has to do with teeth…well nothing,
really, except that it is one more day that we are able to continue our
ministry in the workplace. This is just one of those rare four year
events that, in my opinion, deserve more attention. So enjoy this Leap
Day, especially if you are a “leapling!”
- Stevie Lawrence
*Pictures are courtesy of National Geographic Online.
A smile is said to make us more attractive, boost our immune system, lower our blood pressure, and make us look younger. A smile is also a universal calling card. In all cultures, a smile communicates feelings like: love, joy, gladness, happiness, and self-confidence. An attractive smile has been associated with high self-esteem and success in the classroom and in the business world.
The human heart, is arguably the most important organ. When it stops beating, we die within minutes. The Bible uses the word “heart” between 700-1000 times depending on the translation. The biblical “heart” refers to our soul, which encompasses our will, our mind, and our emotions.
We pledge to patients, not only to employ our hands, our heads, and the many technological advances we utilize; but we commit to incorporate our very heart into our efforts to bless you with a wonderful, beautiful, and healthy smile.
As patients, we hope to help you develop a smile that is truly from the heart. Not just a beautiful cosmetic outcome, which is important, but we want to help you develop a connection between your smile and your heart.
We believe a smile that truly comes from the heart is a gift from above. The gift of God’s grace is the seed that produces the fruit of joy and love that can radiate your “smiles from the heart.”