A friend faced a difficult cancer diagnosis and refused all phone calls and personal contact. Other than cards, it was impossible to reach her. I thought a lot about what I might do to help her and then remembered how much she loved the personalized cookbook I made my daughter. While looking through it she mentioned that she wished someone had made one for her. I decided I’d make her a cookbook and combed through my recipes, selecting ones I thought…

News travels fast through social media so it’s no surprise to hear about a death through Facebook. Blasts of news are so frequent that we’ve become adept in responding in similar fashion. Why send a sympathy note when with a few clicks of the keys, you’ve said your peace? With seemingly ease, people react immediately to sad news.

While I’m not a fan of posting condolence messages on Facebook, I’ve become aware of just how comforting the immediacy of support can…