Quare Times

 Someone once said that they reckoned if people answered the casual 'how are you?' truthfully, admidding when things were not good as opposed to pretending things are always great, we would have more honest exchanges.

I have always doubted that reasoning. Politeness and a veneer of ok-ish-ness is how we function smoothly as a society. There are enough people who moan and how delighted are we to meet them on the street? People need to sound off, people need to be sensitive, and some need to listen, but... its a rather complex notion, isnt it?

My elderly neighbour lives in constant pain,  admits it, and then moves the conversation swiftly on to entertain and tell stories. I love meeting her and she cheers me up every time. Maybe its that sort of honesty we need?