End of Life Planning - with Garrick Colwell Artwork

Learning To Say Goodbye

What is it about the subject of death and grief that makes us so uncomfortable? We have been experts at avoiding the one thing we all face sooner or later. Death is something that happens to other people. But when it hits close, we are left scrambling.So, let’s talk about it. There is a lot to learn, not only about death, but about grief, communication and most importantly: life. Learning to Say Goodbye explores this tricky subject from all sides, covering views from different cultures, looking what religion and spirituality can teach us, hearing from people who have been through grief and close to death. We will learn how to help people going through loss, and how to talk about the one thing we all hate to talk about: death.

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Learning To Say Goodbye

End of Life Planning - with Garrick Colwell

December 28, 2025 • Alexandra Dionisio • Season 2 • Episode 3

What is the best way to show your love to the ones closest to you?

Now, if you have been following this podcast for a while, you know that I am not talking about romantic gestures here, we are not talking roses and gifts, romantic dates or surprises (even though we all love them obviously). No, I am talking about the end of life. And the best gift you can give your loved ones is a plan for the end of your life.

When death is near, the people around you are already carrying so much - fear, anticipatory grief, exhaustion, and love all tangled together. What end-of-life planning does is remove uncertainty. It spares them from having to guess. It frees them from making impossible decisions in moments of shock or crisis. It allows them to simply be with you - present, connected, loving - instead of overwhelmed by logistics and doubt.

Planning is not about control. It’s about care.

And here’s something I’ve learned through my work: what matters most to you about living is the clearest guide to what will matter most to you when you are dying. The way you define dignity, comfort, autonomy, faith, family, or legacy in life is the same language your dying will speak.

End-of-life planning is really an act of listening — listening to your own values, your fears, your hopes — and then translating those into clarity for the people you love.

In this episode, we’re going to talk about why planning ahead is not morbid, not pessimistic, and not giving up. It is one of the most profound expressions of love there is.