We’ve likely asked the question, or some form of it, several times in even the last few weeks or days — of family and friends, co-workers and neighbors — and answered it ourselves just as many times.
It’s a common, simple greeting. Maybe only a pleasantry — depending on the day’s events or our mood in that moment.
But, today, I’m not casually asking the question. It’s not an inconsequential remark to be friendly. Really, truly, how are you doing?
Me? I’m not sure how to process it all.
I’m writing this on Sunday evening, about five hours after President Joe Biden announced that he was dropping his reelection bid, the stunning end to a tumultuous month of political messiness and uncertainty that will live forever in American history books.
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I used ‘tumultuous’ as the adjective. You might choose chaotic or ugly, contentious or turbulent. But, really, is there even a word that can aptly describe the last few weeks — beginning with Biden’s exceptionally poor debate performance in Atlanta in the final days of June that rightly brought into question his mental acuity and ability to serve as commander-in-chief; to the despicable attempted assassination of Donald Trump, Biden’s predecessor in the Oval Office and the Republican frontrunner in the 2024 race who has, remarkably, unified his party; to the four-day Republican National Convention in Milwaukee that sent mixed messages of unity and division, sparked controversy for a prayer to a non-Christian god and concluded with Trump’s historically long acceptance speech that included a riveting recount of his brush with death.
