DEAR MISS MANNERS: How do you answer well-meaning people who ask how you are doing after the death of your spouse?
My husband died last year, four months after I retired from my job. He was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer that had spread to his brain.
I still miss him and want to ask him countless questions. He is sitting on our mantel in his urn -- needless to say, his answers aren't well-phrased.
I haven't been very active socially because I don't have a well-thought-out way to answer people's concern, except to say, "I'm doing as well as can be expected."
GENTLE READER: It seems to Miss Manners that that says it all. You needn't claim to be fine, but you will have responded to the well-meaning people that you are not in a state of crisis requiring intervention.
(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)