What should I say to a girl I know who just lost her mother?

[glenbarrington]

First, you don't do this via email or twitter. You screw up the courage and say it face to face. Anything less is a meaningless gesture and will be viewed as such by her. You are better off doing/saying nothing that by doing it in such a thoughtless, effortless, casual manner. Put yourself in her place, how much creedence would you give to such a Tweet, if you know you will be seeing the 'tweeter' a couple of times a week in school? The tweet sounds kind of shallow and meaningless in that light, doesn't it?

But what you say, is that you heard about her loss, and that you know she must be hurting, and that if there is anything she needs you to do to help her through this, that she should feel free to ask. And you MEAN it. If you don't mean it, if you AREN'T willing to help her out, don't say anything.