So, it's been a while. Three years and a few days to be exact. I've started many posts but they just don't seem to go anywhere. Have you ever experienced a moment when you're doing something and you suddenly pause to ask yourself, "where was I going with this?" It often happens to me when I'm dishing my third or fourth helping of Lasagna. Then I shrug my shoulders and proceed. I suppose that's what I'm doing now, sans Lasagna.
Sometimes I forget that there doesn't have to be a deeply profound reason for doing something. If I'm lucky there might be one or two experiences from my life that will be remembered beyond the second generation that follows me. But who I am and how I am will pass on and be added to for many generations to come. Just as I am the product of who and how my ancestors were, mixed with a few of my own choices and the interactions I've had with others. Not to say that my life's actions are meaningless, just the opposite, my life has tremendous meaning. It's mine and I get to lead it as I choose, which in itself is pretty remarkable. This is why it gives me great relief to know that how I am in a single moment doesn't necessarily have an everlasting impact on all creation.
Speaking of how I am, what does it even mean to ask "How are you?" The most fundamental answer to this question involves a delicate conversation about a twinkle in the eyes and an eternal commitment to ensure we are not the last of our species. Obviously this response doesn't address the typical meaning of the question, and will probably cause a little discomfort, but it is nonetheless a valid response. A longer form of the question would be "How are you doing?" Inherently this is a physiological question. I 'do' by inhaling oxygen into my lungs which then enters my bloodstream to join with nutrients and energy which I have previously ingested via food (such as Lasagna) or drink. Blood is then drawn from my lungs into my heart to be pressurized and distributed through a complex circulatory system which delivers the oxygen, energy and nutrients to various parts of my body so that they can perform their respective functions when called upon by my central nervous system to 'do' something. That's how I'm 'doing.'
Literal answers to the "how are you?" question simply don't offer a satisfactory response. So figuratively, how am I doing? The most typical response would be "fine." In other words, "I don't require your assistance" or "I do require your assistance but I'm too proud to admit it." Either of which is an acceptable response since the person asking probably didn't intend to provide assistance anyway. So this whole question and answer exercise is merely what we do to kindly acknowledge one another's existence and spatial proximity. Apparently this is more socially acceptable than grunting.
This backs up my point that the vast majority of our individual actions will not have a profound effect on anything. However, the sum of all our individual actions ends up being the most appropriate answer to the "how are you?" question. These actions have led us to our current state and thus are how we got here. Coincidentally if we take the end and put it at the beginning then 'how' we are becomes 'who' we are. And who we are is the circumstance from which we begin again.
But really, it has been a very long time since my last post. I guess I should ask, how have you been?
