"I was just being polite."

I absolutely can't stand the phrase, "how are you?" It's supposed to be this wonderful magic phrase that shows that someone cares enough to ask about you, but I don't think it to be this at all. I just don't think people realize the full meaning of what they are asking. The phrase "how are you" holds, what could be a truly complex and potentially mood altering answer. Those simple 3 words could hold the key to an emotional meltdown. Those 3 words could lead up to the best news ever. They could lead up to the worst news ever. Or they could be motivation for the most monotonous story ever. As anticlimatic as that was, it is true. So before you dare uttering that phrase, think if you really care about how that other is.