What can I do when a friend has problems?

My life is and always has been relatively comfortable and priveleged compared to a lot of peoples, and I feel pathetic. I've never experienced things like she is facing right now.

She told me on MSN that she won't be coming to school tomorrow. Long story short, she explained how her mother took the rest of the family away to an unknown destination after her mother had a fight with her cousin, who lives with them at her grandmas house. She fears that she won't see her two younger siblings again. Her mother has piled all their belingings on her bed and she thinks she will come back for them.

I asked her questions, and then I said something stupid. It was one of those silly things we say to each other, but I guess she must have thought I didn't understand and that I was making a joke out of the whole thing or something. I said something that is typical of me to say and I thought she would know that it's just one of those things that I say. She must have taken it the wrong way and it's understandable that she'd do that. Now I feel really stupid. She left without saying bye.

What this situation made me think of was how silly humans are with all of their emotional issues and petty arguments. I wish they could all embrace the stoic philosophy, clear thinking is much better than being controlled by our emotions. Why are people so cruel to each other, why can't they understand..

So I said, "*sigh* Humans.. I am glad to be an otherlien." Yes, it's a silly thing to say, but it's sort of like an inside joke between us, but it's not funny, it's just a mildly amusing thing we talk about. She was just like "…." I continue on about how silly humans are with their issues. Which is sort of like my way of saying "Yeah, that's messed up, why did they have to fight.." She might have taken it to mean that her issues were silly.

You see, I'm awkward when it comes to sympathising with anyone, and socially awkward in general anyway. I'm usually more inclined to give advice rather than my sympathy and comfort, but I didn't even know what to say.

I sent offline messages apologising. Then I said something along the lines of "someday this will all be over and you will be happy" which is pathetic, but I didn't know what else to say.

I hate asking for advice because I always thought I should be able to work things out for myself.

Well, I'll have to leave it at that because my mother is wanting me off the computer.