What do you say or hear when you leave your friends? It may be bye, bye-bye, ta-ta, adieu, adios, aloha, later alligator, afterwhile crocodile, have-a-good-one, or it may be no more than a smile and a wave.
I now live in Middle Tennessee. Nestled in a nearby small community, there is a term used upon departure that I think must be a special colloquialism used by people born and reared in this small pocket area. When you say ‘good-bye’, many times they will respond with ‘have a good rest of the day’.
It’s not a term that I will adopt because it doesn’t roll off of my tongue easily, but it is encouraging that someone ignores the first part of my day, whether good or bad, and gives me a wish that the rest of my day will be good.
I’m going to interpret this phrase not only as a ‘good-bye’, but I’m going to accept it as being sent out with their blessing. It sounds a little like ‘may God be with you’.
