Dear Blake,
My best friend just emailed a picture of her newborn baby. I hate to say it, but it is beyond ugly. I know when I see her next week, she’s going to ask me what do I think. Should I be honest, should I be deceptive, or avoid the question altogether?
Signed, Gwendolyn
from Des Moines, Iowa
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Dear Gwendolyn,
If it’s your best friend, you obviously have to be sensitive to her feelings. But, she should be sensitive of how you are affected physically, especially if the sight of this child makes you nauseous. Using some tact and compassion, tell her that the medication you have to take to avoid your stomach from feeling queasy from looking at her baby, is not covered by your health plan and is costing you a fortune. Hopefully she’ll be understanding enough not to hold anything against you. If she happens to get mad at your honest assessment of the situation, tell her you’re only human, even though her child doesn’t appear to be. I hope this helps.
Blake