Dear Eric: When I hear of a death in the family of someone I know, I send a sympathy card. I appreciated the many cards I received when my husband died, and one kind friend donated to a charity we support. But when my mother died two years ago after a long incurable illness, I received just one card from a friend, and only a few verbal acknowledgements where I work. I’ve seen email thanks from other employees for gifts and flowers they received from the company for births and minor illnesses, but I feel hurt and unappreciated that I didn’t receive even a sympathy card. It seems in this workplace we don’t acknowledge death; are flowers or a small donation to the charity we mentioned in Mom’s obituary, or even just a tangible sympathy card, expecting too much from one’s employer?