My husband can dissect grammar to a degree that leaves me stammering. But I am aware of the common incorrect substitution of "good" for
"well." If I ask someone how they are doing, the answer "good" would technically convey that they're volunteering in a soup kitchen or picking up trash in alleyways. But many of us get sloppy and say good when what we mean is well.
"I am doing good."
It's not as if the one has more syllables than the other, or more letters for that matter. But
perhaps "well" feels a slice more formal, so in the interest of being familiar we stick to the old standby.
As a parent of grown children, the prayer that they will do well in life is often on my lips. I ask how the job is going, or the relationships, or their health. It does not interest me that they somehow honor me for being their mother, or spend their money on me. What I want is for them to do
well.
But if I think about it, an even deeper prayer is that they will do good.
My son spent Labor Day setting up the audio system for his church, since on the weekdays he is busy and on the weekends the building is. I am proud of him. He is doing good.
My daughter works for charity: water, and is part of the effort to bring clean water to thousands of people in Africa and Asia who do not have access to it. I think of her each time I let the water run down the drain, or take an extra few minutes in the shower. There is no easy way to transport my abundance to their scarcity, but her company is actively implementing solutions. She is doing good.
My son's girlfriend is coordinating small groups at Bryn Athyn College, and is volunteering at the kick-off event tonight. She is doing good.
Marriages are founded on the idea that two people will do well in a shared life. Their day-to-day routines are blessed by being together. But perhaps even more important, is the possibility that they will do good.
