The woman, whose story has since gone viral, is grappling with the idea of asking her friend to return a baby shower gift after experiencing a heartbreaking and traumatic miscarriage.
She Created an Internet Storm
A Reddit thread has taken the internet by storm as users weigh in on a controversial question posed by a woman seeking advice on how to handle this delicate situation.
Describing the recipient of the gift as a “long-term family friend” of her husband, the woman shared the background of their relationship.
“Jen and I aren’t friends at all, but we are friendly when we see each other,” she explained.
When Jen had her first child, the woman’s husband purchased an expensive item from her baby shower registry as a gift, which was enthusiastically given to help Jen and her then-boyfriend-now-husband start their family.
They Bought Her Pregnant Friend a Gift
Fast forward a few years, and Jen, who is now a high earner, along with her husband, announced her second pregnancy and shared a baby shower registry filled with high-priced items.
Despite finding it peculiar, since Jen should still have most of the items from her first child, the woman and her husband decided to comply and purchased a gift worth around $400.
Tragically, a few weeks later, Jen experienced a devastating miscarriage that would likely prevent her from carrying future pregnancies to term.
Now facing a delicate situation, the woman confessed her uncertainty about how to handle the gift.
But She Miscarried and They Wanted It Back
Returning it seemed cruel, as it would burden Jen with an additional task during her grieving process, especially considering the gift was likely past the return window.
Furthermore, the woman was unsure if Jen would attempt to have more children due to the associated risks, and she didn’t want to be insensitive by prematurely bringing up the topic.
Asking Jen to pay them back for the gift also seemed unkind, despite the woman and her husband being decent earners, as $400 still held significant value.
The woman pondered the practicality of the gift, expressing concern that it might end up unused in a box in Jen’s attic for years to come.
Would They Be Perceived as Inconsiderate?
Inquiring about the possibility of reclaiming the gift left her wondering if she and her husband would be perceived as inconsiderate.
She also considered the alternative of gifting it to someone else in need, acknowledging the sensitivity of the situation and their desire not to pressure Jen before she was ready to discuss it.
The thread quickly garnered over 1,500 comments, with opinions heavily leaning against the idea of asking for the gift back. Users criticized the notion, emphasizing that a gift should not come with conditions or expectations.
One commenter bluntly stated, “It was a gift. It shouldn’t come with terms and conditions. You gave it away. It’s gone.” Others urged the woman not to inflict further pain on Jen during her already difficult time.
“Sorry About Your Miscarriage, Can I Have My Gift Back? Really?”
“You chose to spend much money. You absolutely didn’t have to. There’s no tactful way to ask for it back,” another added.
“Sorry about your miscarriage, can I have my gift back? Really?” someone wrote.
The overwhelming sentiment was that seeking reimbursement to alleviate her own feelings would be monstrous and callous, disregarding the emotional turmoil Jen was enduring.
She Hoped She Would Gift It to Someone in Need
In an update to the thread, the original poster shared that she had decided not to request the gift back from Jen. Expressing empathy, she wrote, “We don’t want to make her feel worse than she already is.”
Ultimately, the woman hoped that if Jen didn’t use the gift, she would consider donating it to someone in need.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
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The post She Bought Her Pregnant Friend a Gift, She Miscarried and Then They Wanted It Back! Really? first appeared on The Net Worth Of.
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Source: Reddit