It’s out of concern for my neighbor, but it feels intrusive.
: I live in an apartment above an elderly woman to whom I have grown very attached in the years we’ve been neighbors. She has been in poor health over the last couple of years.Miss Manners: What’s a pocketbook? How do I get on an elevator?
I like to check in when leaving or returning home, and I don’t want to constantly be knocking on her door and bothering her. She has said she appreciates me looking in and will always give me a wave, but even with her blessing, it feels intrusive. I have often been through the same thing they are describing, or I know someone who has, and I have relayed those experiences in the past. What I am hoping to do is put the person at ease, knowing that others have experienced the same thing, or to pass along some tips for dealing with their situation.
At some point in my life, I was instructed to try to relate to the other person when listening, so I suppose that is where the impulse comes from. Any advice for relaying compassion without seeming self-centered?: It is indeed a fine line, and crossing it often leads to unsolicited anecdotes and advice — and not necessarily the good or relevant kind.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Miss Manners: Ask me to hang out, not if I’m busyLetter writer would rather friends just ask to hang out than if they’re busy at the moment.
Read more »
Miss Manners: I don’t want them thinking I have children with my dog-walking buddyIt’s a question of semantics that could lead to embarrassment.
Read more »
Miss Manners: Should I have told him that his fancy food was awful?I couldn’t say anything when the restaurant owner stopped by our table.
Read more »
Miss Manners: What’s the proper way to get off an elevator?Advice from Judith Martin, Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin.
Read more »
Miss Manners: How to respond when a friend or family member has bad news?Advice from Judith Martin, Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin.
Read more »
Miss Manners: He plays jokes on service workers, then declares they have no sense of humorPlus: Am I correct in thinking this laundry room behavior is rude?
Read more »