DEAR MISS MANNERS: What do we say when people wish us a nice day? My husband and I lived in Paradise, California. As everyone knows, our town was destroyed. We lost our house, our community. We are not having a nice day.
GENTLE READER: No, nor a good morning or good evening or even a goodbye, if people should wish you that. Now that you have told Miss Manners, she extends sympathy instead, and the hope that you will see better days.
But you will help no one, including yourselves, by taking offense from others who unknowingly direct conventional phrases at you without the least intention of minimizing your tragedy.