Someone you know dies. Or someone that you know has someone die. You apologize, as if it's your doing. You send them your thoughts, whatever that means, and it does nothing to relieve their grief or your own sorrow. You do it anyways.
They're in a long-term rainy day and your thoughts and prayers do nothing. You say the same things each time, even after having gone through a similar even in your own life. And the cycle goes on.
Grief fades through time and
your or their loved one continues on only as a memory. The sorry and the prayers fill an awkward gap where we feel something should be said.
I see no solution, it's just strange.