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“Have a nice day.” This is my favorite sentence.
Because it’s a magic sentence.
Hearing that sentence makes me happy.
Some people might wonder why it makes me happy.
Because people in countries where this custom is commonplace may not think it is a big deal.
Isn’t it wonderful to wish for the happiness of strangers?
It’s free! No effort required!
So I always say this sentence, with a smile.
It may be surprising that I can be happy with such
a simple thing.
There are no such sentences or customs in my country.
So I want to spread this custom when I go back to Japan.
That way, I think that the number of happy people in the world will increase.
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Mami Moon is the Korean name, and Asami Hayashi the Japanese name, of the writer, who was born in Japan to Korean parents. Now residing in Fort Lee, New Jersey, she has traveled to many countries. Those trips and new encounters in the U.S. have shaped her new set of values. She studies at the New York Public Library’s Stavros Niarchos Foundation branch. Her ESOL teacher is Michele Persaud, and Sherin Hamad is the hub manager.