Why is that whenever someone finds out that I lost my mother four years ago, they tell me they're sorry? Why is it that this sentence - "Oh, I'm very sorry to hear that, my condolences" - drives me up the wall every single time? I understand that most people can not relate to losing a parent or loved one just yet, so why try to make me feel better about it? You can't. So, how about simply saying, "Pardon my ignorance, I did not know,"? I will kiss the first person who says this to me in conversation after learning about my mother's absence over the past four years, but I have a feeling I'll never hear it used.