I have always despised banality in language. Expected responses are boring, and often untrue. I remember, as a teenager, challenging my father, the minister, after hearing him exchange pleasantries with his congregants.  I knew the essence of those pleasantries were often untrue. He wasn’t “fine, thanks,” he had a million problems that I knew about, and they didn’t. It just didn’t seem honest or useful to me.

I feel differently now. I tell everyone to “have a good day” when I see them, whether I particularly like them, or not, just as my father did. I don’t do it to be polite.

I do it because I’ve realized the power of positive words and thoughts.

The phrase “Have a Good Day” has been used for centuries. Its counterpart, “Have a Nice Day”, is a newer construct. Both are now synonymous with “goodbye”. With the right inflection, both can be said sarcastically, in a way that makes us think a good day is exactly the opposite of what we are being wished.

These days, when I say “have a good day” to someone, I say it as a prayer, or a magical spell. It costs me nothing. If the three-fold law holds, my day will go well, too.

Perhaps the more we tell folks we are “fine, thanks,” even if we are truly not, the more energy we may have to be fine.

Wishing each other well is more than a simple courtesy. It’s a radical act of magick for world peace.

The more people having good days across the planet, the better the planet will be.

Have a Good Day!