I had a chat with my sister (she’s my half sister) and she sent her condolences to me and my grandma when my grandpa passed away. I took time off from work and school to grieve. Most of my coworkers didn’t really say anything about my grandfather’s death. Some did. One coworker (let’s call her Jana) and she gave me a huge huge and gave sympathy. I said hi to my other coworkers (let’s call her Jenelle), but she didn’t respond or even look at me and continued to talk to Jana. She avoided me and didn’t even send her condolences. My two other coworkers in the class said nothing, not a even a good morning. They said hi to they kids and towards the end of they day everyone was too busy laughing having a good time and I stayed distant and went home early. I cried to my sister on video chat. My sister said, “Look I know it’s very tough, but this is something you need to understand and it’s the 100% the truth. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Not everyone is going to give you the response or support you want. Also not everyone is going to care. Everyone has their own issues to deal with so they can’t always stop their issues for yours. Some people just don’t know how to respond so their avoid you or give you space so don’t be too hard on them. Everyone responds differently and some people haven’t experienced it yet.”
I get what my sister is saying, but my coworkers were rude and didn’t bother to acknowledge me. Everyone are jerks when someone goes though grief.
3 mo
My older sister told my not everyone will give you sympathy when you dealing with grief. Is that true? Was she too brutally honest?
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your sister is 100% right
You should expect support and compassion from family, friends, loved ones, not from coworkers and people you are not really close with, it is normal. It is ok for them to say sorry for your loss to be polite and all, their world won't stop cause you have a problem and you shouldn't take it to heart, you are there cause of work and that is the main reason you interact with those people, they are not your firends, unless you maybe befriend one or some
I never said they were my friends. I was just expecting some support but my sister said, “Coworkers aren’t your friends so don’t expect them to stop everything for every problem you have. Coworkers are there to work. If they distant themselves from you then that’s because they’re minding their own business and don’t expect every single one to say hi to you. You have me, our brothers and others that love and care for you. People that aren’t close with you aren’t going to give you the same reaction.”
firends and family give you support, coworkers aren't your friends or family
I know that but they don’t have to act so cold. My sister picked the wrong time to be blunt. I’m grieving
Ya she is right
My sister picked the wrong time to be blunt. I’m grieving