From time to time someone says something incredibly boorish about our situation. I thought the following advice from Miss Manners was right on.
"Dear Miss Manners:
My family and I have just been through the difficult and draining experience of caring for my father through his terminal illness and grieving his loss. While so many have brought comfort and care to us, this milestone has been made more difficult on occasion by allegedly well-meaning people and their almost unbelievably insensitive comments.
For example, to my unmarried sister, 'I guess you'll have to find someone else to walk you down the aisle, dear' or to my mother after church, 'I'll bet the hardest part is waking up in the morning alone.'
What does one say to such people? Is there a polite way to let them know how inappropriate and painful their remarks are to us?
Yes: 'I'm sure you meant to be kind.'"
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