What do you do when a friend or neighbor loses a parent or partner etc?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm from the NorthEast. I (and we) send cards, attend services, bring food, take care of kids, etc... - all in perspective to the closeness of the relationships.

What you're experiencing may be much more a reflection of the extent to which you have roots/long standing relationships in the area, that a geographical difference.

No, I think it’s geographical. In my world, you don’t need to be a super close friend to do anything. It’s just good form/manners and you don’t spend a lot of time evaluating whether you’ve known Bob long enough to send a card or drop off a meal. You just do it.

I see. So your theory is that people in the Northeast are less caring and rude? Seems like you have some pre-existing assumptions and could stand a little more nuance on the spectrum of judgment here.

Perhaps not all the NE, but where I live now, yes. The overall transience has created an environment where people don’t think to do for others. And to clarify- EVEN if they’re not themselves transient. I’m the one with the neighbors who couldn’t figure out how to make a kind gesture for a neighbor. All these neighbors have lived by each other for 10 + years.