Over the past weekend several people have asked me "How are you doing?" and I have replied rather simply, "Normal." This, as I review it, probably sounded very rude to them. But I am caught between actually responding to them truthfully, which people usually don't want you to do, or almost lying by saying "fine", "good" or another common answer. I think I will try for the rest of the week to respond fully and truthfully to the generic "How are you doing?". I think that people who really care about me will appreciate my answer and people that really don't care will not ask me again. I will tell you how it goes. Do people really care 'how I am' or is it just a saying like hello that doesn't bear any feeling?
I am drawn to remember Tolken's The Hobbit. In the very first chapter there is a conversation, which is partially related to this topic, when Gandalf comes to Bilbo and Bilbo says "Good Morning". If you haven't read The Hobbit then you should at least read that discourse near the beginning. I find it most refreshing and amusing.
So I am left to ask you, how are you doing?
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