Found out friend is separated - etiquette question

[Anonymous]

“Keep your head up. You never know what tomorrow brings.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on every person, every friendship.

My best friend, we just straight up ask each other, what happened? Now, anyone less than her, it would just be, "how are you?"

If it was anyone other than an immediate family member or a very, best, intimate friend...don't ask, don't pry.

You wait until they bring it up.

Too many people have a fascination with gossip and wanting to know the dirt and too many people will turn around and tell everyone else. When you have children, it is even more damaging to have people gossiping about things that will get back to your children.

[Anonymous]

I had a woman come up to me in Whole Foods to tell me that my friend's son's parents were divorcing/separating.

Flash forward 8 years later. They never did. They bought a new house and from all outward appearances appear to be doing great.

I remained friends with her (not a close friend) and her and her spouse would come by occasionally.

I never once asked. It was not important to me and we did not have that level of intimacy for me to bring up what someone else relayed to me.

What it did do was make me lose total and complete respect for this woman that was a 'close friend' to her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a woman come up to me in Whole Foods to tell me that my friend's son's parents were divorcing/separating.

Flash forward 8 years later. They never did. They bought a new house and from all outward appearances appear to be doing great.

I remained friends with her (not a close friend) and her and her spouse would come by occasionally.

I never once asked. It was not important to me and we did not have that level of intimacy for me to bring up what someone else relayed to me.

What it did do was make me lose total and complete respect for this woman that was a 'close friend' to her.

^ this woman being the one to come running up to me to tell me personal/intimate details about HER close friend. Gossip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Keep your head up. You never know what tomorrow brings.”

I would be so annoyed by this if someone said this. She should not say anything unless someone brings it up.