If you don't have something sympathetic to say...

 don't say anything at all.

I am all for the belief that things happen for a reason. Really. It is rather comforting to think that there is some sort of master plan and that the painful things we go through have some sort of meaning in the end.

But that doesn't mean that you have to completely forgo the understanding pat on the arm and the sympathetic "That sucks!" that lets people know that you understand their feelings.

When I tell you bad news, I don't want to hear It wasn't meant to be or It means something better is coming along. It may be true, but I want to hear Yeah, I know you really wanted that job...they were stupid to hire someone else...their loss...and, hey, let's go egg their offices!
(Just kidding - I don't condone egging of any kind.)

To me, the casually tossed out it wasn't meant to be is equivalent to telling a grieving relative They're in a better place. Might be true, but again, I don't want to hear it. Tell me you know I'm hurting, tell me that the person will be missed, but don't try to turn it into a positive thing.

So, anyways, I never did get a call about the job one way or the other....which pretty much tells me that they hired the other person. So I shall go back to soothing myself with a vente, full sugar, full fat latte and the knowledge that it wasn't meant to be.