Languishing?

Have you noticed the exchange “How are you?/I’m fine” has become more complicated?

People actually want to know when asking, and my answer isn’t the slam dunk it was prior-pandemic.

The other day someone again asked and I found myself stumbling around like a drunk for words. A person standing nearby said, “Well, the NYT has come up with a word for it. Languishing.”

I smiled and shook my head, but knew that wasn’t quite right.

I always counted on the world to be messed up and violent but reasonably stable. I made plans based on that. Since Covid any plan has to include a cancellation option. Even now – after being vaccinated and the CDC loosening mask-wearing – reticence is baked into the future. In the blink of an eye a national health authority could severely restrict how I live.

Partially retired, and having returned to painting almost full time, I well understand this is a great environment for creativity. But, come on. Really?

To stabilize my world, I decided to perfect the taste of my morning coffee and turn my porch into a nursery. But, oh, yes… one other thing: I just ordered a huge tarp from Amazon to cover the porch screens for when the California fires start.

That’s not languishing.