How are you? Really.

We hear the question countless times throughout the day, “How are you?” and we give automatic responses with varying enthusiasm.

Since this is an anonymous collective, why can’t we be honest with each other and ourselves? How are you really doing? How is life?

Me? Thanks for asking. Things could be better, or things could be worse. I’ve had some moderate to severe losses in my life over the summer. Things went horribly wrong with two plays I was involved in, requiring the firing of two actors in one of the plays and the cancellation of the other play. An uncle and a good friend both died. And I may have broken one of my front teeth below the gumline.

But things couldn’t be better with my kids. We’re closer than ever and enjoy being with each other. That means the world to me.