DEAR MISS MANNERS: After 57 years of marriage, my wife passed away last week. All of our children were here to help me through this, and have now gone home.
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I am now receiving invitations to dinner. Some I’ll gladly accept, but there are others I really don’t want to. How do I politely decline the invitations I don’t want without hurting people’s feelings?
GENTLE READER: Although you do not need an excuse as long as you express regrets and thanks, Miss Manners notices that you have one easily available. If you say “I’m not going out much,” people should understand that this refers to the way you are handling your grief.