Thursday, August 07, 2008

"Kumusta ka"

I realized recently that “kumusta ka?” is the question I find most difficult to answer. Oh well, next to the question “who am I?”, actually. But what is harder is that I, (or shall I say we?) get to hear this question often. And I was thinking, even if asked at the exact same moment, this question sort of demands from us different answers – most of the time dependent on who asks it.

If the question comes from some people who I suppose are making their “pagpaparamdam” after some time of ignoring me, do I answer it with “hey, you remembered me” –(either with tone of gratitude or with sarcasm). If it comes from my friends from the office, should my answer be work-related? If it comes from a ‘stranger’, should I even take the question seriously?

Quite complex, yes. Ironically, I find myself giving out the answer I do not like much hearing from other people – “ok lang”.

Let me clarify. There is nothing wrong with saying “ok lang”. It is just that –

One, hearing it from other people puts me in a difficult situation. That is, it makes me try to come up with follow-up questions that could somehow really tell me how the other person is.

Two, saying it myself gives me this feeling that I am lying. I do not know. Maybe I just keep on having these thoughts really that I am so “lutang” these days that I cannot even know and feel how I really am.

Wah. Am I just making things seem complicated? Forgive me for I have been having all these thought bubbles recently. I just have to write some of them down. J

Maybe it is best to just be thankful for the gesture of asking "kumusta?". Never mind the intention. Never mind the expected answer. Never mind the ‘accuracy’ of your answer to how you really are.