Let’s be honest—we get asked “How are you doing?” everyday, perhaps even multiple times a day. In our last article about this question, we talked about how Elmo, our childhood friend, has inspired and encouraged us to answer this question honestly even though society often discourages and makes it hard to answer honestly. However, due to the recent events on campus, there has been increased awareness and honesty when asking about each other’s feelings.
Aaron: It’s an interesting phenomenon. This past weekend, I was hanging out with some friends, digesting the events of the previous days. I remember one of my friends saying something that really stuck out to me. They said, “These are the most genuine ‘How are you’s’ that I’ve ever received.” It is both interesting and poignant that our generosity and honesty come through in times like these.
And not only have we been honest in the asking, we’ve also been honest in the answering as well. I, at least, have felt more compelled to share my feelings in a more honest way. When traumatic events occur, it is important to be honest with your feelings, with yourself and with other people. It’s important to acknowledge when you are not feeling okay. If we trust our friends and loved ones with our feelings, there is a beneficial effect. I find it rewarding whenever I share my feelings of anxiety, stress and depression. It’s relieving to know that we have a community of support around us and sharing our feelings honestly helps bolster this community by building healthy connections of support and love.
Not only can we honestly share our feelings to build community, but we can also do acts of kindness for others. The act of asking “How are you doing?” in times of trouble might be small, but it’s an act that lets people know that you are there for them in their time of need.
Esther: During January, Sesame Street’s Big Bird had a life-changing experience, being little—for a week. Due to the event, Big Bird had a different perspective, affecting the way he navigated and experienced the world around him. Without being “big”, Big Bird asked, “does that mean that I am now just, “bird?” displaying how sometimes, experiences and events can change the way we see ourselves too. However, throughout that week, all Big Bird’s friends like Elmo and others on Sesame Street checked in to see how Big Bird was doing to support him.
In the same way, we want to acknowledge that the events of this weekend could have changed the way you’ve navigated or viewed daily life. While this may feel like an uneven comparison, Sesame Street reminds us of the simple and important things in the midst of the seemingly complex moments of life—to check in and ask your friends “How are you doing?” and, when asked, try to answer with an honest heart. Only when we love the people around us and surround ourselves with those who care about us can we move forward through the difficult times.
