Man, I was Living

Ronda Churchill
New York Times

With the economy crippled, joblessness at a 14-year high and more financial bad news almost certain to come, there was a lot less, materially speaking, for thousands to be grateful for as they gathered around Thanksgiving tables. For many, the elation that followed the election of the nation’s first black president was tempered by more immediate concerns, like where the next paycheck might come from. And yet coast to coast, people approached Thanksgiving with something close to a gritty resolve this year, determined to find a few hours of respite from their worries.

I was listening to NPR the other day, and they were interviewing an investment banker who went bust in the subprime meltdown. The woman described her lifestyle before going bust:

"I had three houses, six cars, and three boats. I vacationed around the world. Man, I was living."

"Living?" The interviewer inquired.

"What about seeing friends and family, exercising, reading a book, maybe taking up a hobby?"

You know, really living?

"Well, I thought I was living."

There you go.