Weaknesses

My sister sings in a traveling choir. It's a church choir for high school students, a lot of fun. So, she was singing at a church near me so my mom and I went and we were late. But anyways, when we walked in, I saw someone in the lobby that I work with and we started talking. He told me that his daughter used to be in this choir, but it's too hard for his wife to come. I must have looked at him confused, because after a few awkward moments, he said "Well, you know my daughter was killed."

What am I supposed to do after that blow?

I kind of stuttered and mumbled and said "Oh, no, I didn't."

He went on to explain that she was on a trip with a friend to help out at some church and then her friend fell asleep at the wheel and his daughter was killed in the crash.

I don't know how to handle these things.

He told me so suddenly.

I felt awful for not knowing, but how could I have?

Then, my mom came back from the restroom and we were going into find and sit with my grandparents. Hindsight is always 20/20. I didn't realize that since it was too difficult for his wife to come, he was there alone. I felt awful, still do, through the whole service. I should have asked him to sit with us. Should I have given him a hug? Something, I should have done something. I looked back once we had been seated and realized that he was alone, but he was gone. I would have gone to bring him to sit if he had been there, but he wasn't.

So I cried.

The whole thing was an impossible situation.

But it's weighing me down now and I wish I had better social skills and didn't come off as careless and self-absorbed when I really do care about people.