How to handle this sensitively

[Firstty]

So recently life has been amazing for me. I have a young baby and just got engaged. I am so so grateful that things have turned out so well for me as I spent my mid-30s worrying that it wouldn't after a horrible break up.

I live far away from the place I grew up and am currently visiting there. Tomorrow I am meeting up with some old friends for a catch up. They will want to hear all about the proposal, wedding plans etc and my baby will be there.

Problem is that one has just broken up with her long term DP. We are 39 and I know she feels like her chance for a family and happiness is gone.

Obviously I wont bring up my wedding etc and will deflect back to other conversation topics as much as I can. However I dont want it to be obvious that I am avoiding talking about my life for this reason. Any tips on how to handle it?

They will want to hear all about the proposal, wedding plans etc

I bet they won't really 😂

Seriously, just go with the flow. Answer any questions briefly but don't labour any points.

"Tell us about the proposal!" is politeness, no-one really wants an in depth description.

I am sure that they will love to see the baby but proposals and weddings of people (particularly people who already have children) are pretty low down the interest list for most people.

I'm not assuming that they will want to know. They have already said that they do.They are close friends and we normally share everything and are interested in each others lives including mundane details of things like life events 😂. They went through the hard times with me and are genuinely delighted for me. Not sure what already having children has to do with it but I guess im lucky to have people in my life that dont sneer at the unimportantce of something that makes me happy.

What miserable replies you've had! I always want to hear the details about other people's proposals, wedding plans, babies and everything! I'm sure your friends are the same. No real advice but I'd try to stay away from comments about how it all makes you feel ("he/baby completes me, I never thought I could be so happy") and focus on the practical side of things - hopefully that'll make it easier for your friend, at least at the time. And don't forget to ask about them in return!

If they have said they want to know, then they want to know. But you need to be sensitive to the friend who has split up. She may, or may not, feel as you imagine.... but some of us can tolerate other people's happiness, you know!
I imagine none of them want to hear you gushing on and on at length. Tell them your news if they ask - and then reciprocate by listening to their news.

I'd concentrate on the baby.

I agree with @strathmore.

For me, it's exciting to hear about a couple getting engaged and deciding to commit to a life together. When a couple already have a child together, the commitment should already be there, so I wouldn't be that interested in the proposal or details of the wedding.

I suggest you answer questions honestly, acknowledge how good things are atm and say how grateful you are for this, try not to be too gushing- probably a fine line ! And remember to ask them how they are. Hearing how good things are for your friends can be uplifting. Have fun!

Finding it very sad that some of you really dont care about happy events in your close friends lives. I wonder if you act happy and interested or shrug your shoulders at them. Anonymous forums are an amazing I sight into other people's brains

I think anonymous forums bring out some really bitter people.

I'm sure your friends would love to hear the details of your happiness.

My advice would be not to spend more time talking about your news, swing the conversation back to your friends as well.

Hopefully your friend who is having a tough time can draw hope from the fact that you found happiness after a tough break up and it's not too late for her to do the same.

Your friendship sounds lovely and I'm sure you won't upset anyone.

I didn’t find lasting love and I’m not a romantic person as such and don’t watch romance films or read romantic books etc.

However, if you were my good friend I would very much enjoy hearing about your happiness and the details of your joy. It’s quite heartwarming for me to know that someone I care about has found the happiness that alludes me, and that helps stop me from being completely cynical as I’m sometimes prone to be.

That's really lovely Palominoo.

The meet up with my friends went well. She asked as many questions as the others and we did the post-mortem on her relationship as we have done for all of our past failed relationships!