Nice Day

About ten days ago I hurt my back. I think it was from shoveling heavy wet snow, followed by doing lots of chores and topping it off with a 2-mile walk in new boots that did not fit well. Whatever the cause, since then I have alternated between sobbing, taking painkillers, lying flat on my back, slapping myself in the face and getting up and walking around, doing some back exercises, reading and watching some really bad TV. 

The point is, I hurt my back and now my life sucks. Which made me understand how bad life is for people who always have a backache, or have a terrible disease that makes their whole body an enemy, or a million other things that cause pain and make having a nice day all but impossible.

The whole "have a nice day" thing is so insulting to so many people who are suffering from emotional or physical pain. Who started it? And why? It never helps, in fact for me it does the opposite. Every time someone says it to me I want to stab them in the heart. Not that I ever would, of course, since I can't even kill a bug, but still, I want to.

So here's a tip on how to make the world a better place: Stop saying "Have a nice day!" to strangers. Say it if you must to your toddler going off to daycare, or your spouse going off to work, but please, not to a stranger who for all you know has not had a nice day in 15 years and won't have one today just because you suggested it.