"I'm thinking she might have wanted to talk some more about it. Even to a stranger. Sometimes it's easier to share intensely personal stuff with somebody you know you'll never see again."
I'm thinking you're right on. You "chit chated", you thought "she was a very nice person", and she probably had the same feeling about you. Be grateful for that. That you may have helped her open up to you in the slightest says a lot about you.
It's impossible to know how someone grieves even if we experienced an identicle circumstance. Some people say the wrong thing when they mean the best and it can cause more pain.
You also can't be critical of yourself, perhaps feeling, "If I only said..."
You were there in a professional capacity and feeling awckward isn't a slight on you. We know who you are. Reading your posts for many years you have a natural tendency to point true north. Be glad with that.
Sincerely expressing your sorrow was the right and best thing to do. Don't slight yourself for not doing more. If you would like to do more, and you certainly don't have to, a sympathy card may suffice with no return address or phone number and let the card do its work. If she came from your neck of the woods you never know you might bump into her again.
Nothing wrong with doing something nice for a nice person. There's also nothing wrong with just leaving it alone. No one can suggest how you should react any more then you would have been able to curb her reaction.
Keep up the good work. |
