Seneca: You must be aware that none of them know how to…

Grief changes the air in a room. People who care about you may become awkward, unsure whether mentioning the person who died will hurt you or whether avoiding their name will seem cold. Their hesitation is not necessarily indifference. Often it is love without a script. Seneca asks us to see this discomfort generously. We can make it easier for others by saying what we need: "I want to talk about her," or "I can't today, but thank you for remembering." That clarity is a gift to both sides. The same principle applies whenever we are carrying something heavy—a diagnosis, a divorce, a setback at work. People cannot read the rules we have not shared. Do not assume every clumsy silence is a failure of care. Give those around you a path to show up well.