Every day when you are out and about, you often are greeted with hi or hey. But the number one opening I hear the most is, "How are you?" Sound familiar? I think most people say it without thinking.
I have gone through cycles of being honest and admitting it wasn't a great day or I was having a bad time, with or without elaboration. Some people actually want to know, but so many times you see the other person's eyes glaze over if you answer truthfully. I finally went back to non-committal responses such as breathing in, breathing out; doing okay; or crazy day. Then there is the ultimate response that is most common, "I'm fine." I think the last is the response is the go to for most.
Penny created so many amazing characters to fill this large series, but none is quite as interesting as a slightly mad poet named Ruth Zardo. In one, Ruth had just released a new book of poetry titled, "I'm F.I.N.E." Somewhere along the way readers discover Zardo used the initials to stand for F**ked up, Insecure, Neurotic and Egotistical. Hilarious. It hit such a mark that Penny has tucked the phrase in just a few other books in the series. When that surprise reference appears, all the characters pause for a moment and smile, as do I.
The first 3 letter seem the most relevant to me. I honestly don't know many people who are truly egotistical, although I am sure we all have moments of it. No one is perfect. Then in a web search I found posters that changed egotistical to emotional. I loved it. Emotional is something we can all relate too. After the last few years dealing with all the conflict. politics, pandemic, isolation, racist events, and more that we've been immersed in, we are all allowed moments of feeling F.I.N.E. - F**ked up, Insecure, Neurotic, Emotional.
Many days I cope just fine, but there are others I get overwhelmed. I don't feel like myself and I go down the rabbit hole to hide away for awhile. Somehow bringing this crazy quote to mind actually raises my spirits, but that might be partly because, after 15 books, I have a great visual of Ruth Zardo in my head. Regardless, it reminds me I am not alone. Many others are struggling too.
Penny knows and shares her people with us! There is room in the village for all kinds. The mad poet is our town fool, our linguist, our portrait of societal mayhem and the Art that can come from that. Louse Penny makes us read, talk and maybe even write! Kudos, Marilyn for reminding us to listen to the poets!
ReplyDeleteWell said - better than I could! Thanks.
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