at an art opening tonight. i always run into people who i see maybe once or twice each decade. and now that so many decades have accumulated, it seems as if i see these people all of the time.

usually, they will ask me, “so what have you been up to these days?” and usually, i am bewildered since you might know by now that i have absolutely no sense of time. and with so many days that have accumulated since we last saw each other, how can i decide which one to start off with in describing, if i am thinking chronologically?

but some time ago, when asked that very same question at an opening, i’d feel obliged or internally pressured to come up with something to say, something about some project i might be working on. one must say something about something.

but tonight it was easy. i simply said, “i am living” because that is the only authentic answer that springs to mind. i didn’t mean to sound snide, arrogant, or to make anyone uncomfortable, such as this one guy who responded, “yes, it’s true. at our age, not everyone can say that.”

before i could say, “no, no. that’s totally the total the opposite of what i meant,” he had already moved on to the next conversation.

i really hate to think that i made him feel uncomfortable. but it’s really true.  as far as i know, i am living. and i relish it. i savor it.  what more can there be to say than that?