No matter how you say it, the answer on the other end of the line is always the same: "Hi, sweetie. How are you?" And that, in itself, is the best feeling in the world.
It is a phrase that is ubiquitous in our culture, yet we rarely stop to analyze its weight. It is the universal check-in. It is the text message sent without context. It is the first thing we say when we walk through the door, and the last thing we whisper before hanging up the phone. hi mom