It's All True

We're all liars. Sorry to break it to you. And the thing that defines a great liar is the ability to not even realize you're doing it. It just slips out, second-nature-like. In fact, the lie becomes a reality carried around with us.

Perhaps this is best exemplified in the answer to the simple greeting, "How are you?" We ask it or it's asked of us a dozen times a week. In American culture, it's a platitude as common as "bless you" and "thanks." The most common response is, "Fine." When you answer, are you telling the truth?

Each of us has a deep inner life that becomes a story we tell ourselves. We rarely share even a small part of that story with those we engage with. Maybe we're embarrassed by portions of it, maddened by our past actions or wary of what others might think of our inconsistencies and hang-ups. Regardless, what would a true answer be to the question "How are you?"

Granted, we don't need to share every intimate detail with every stranger, but what does an honest answer sound like?

"Today, I'm okay."

"Not the best, but I'll manage."

"I've been better."

"Pretty good. Thanks for asking."

If we open up, even just a little, we may find that we are not as alone as we think we are. The universal thing about the human condition is that it's universal. None of us is unique in our experience of pain, joy, fear, self-doubt, anger, lust, fulfillment, or pride.

I have a new spoken word poem on my Acoustics page, it's entitled, "It's All True." Hopefully, it captures a bit of what we all wrestle with when it comes to the proverbial question, "How are you?"