The mystery of “I’m fine”

I’m a nineteen-year-old girl.

When you read that, what did you think? Did you assume something about my maturity, my intellect, my experience? Did you assume that I say “I’m fine” when I’m not, hoping someone will fish something out of me?

The truth is this: usually when I tell people I’m fine, it’s because I actually am perfectly fine. And when I use it as a lie, it’s because I don’t feel like talking about it.

I’m not asking people to fish things out of me. That’s rude and an unfair expectation to have of somebody. I’m not going to…