Giving Grief Grace, a Grief Podcast for the Sandwich Generation
Loss changes everything. But it doesn't have to have the last word. Giving Grief Grace is a podcast dedicated to those in the throes of caregiving and loss with honest, compassionate conversations about grief, healing, and what it means to keep living after loss. Hosted by Lisa Hartung, a speaker, HR professional, and fellow griever, each episode creates space for the stories we don't always know how to tell.
From disenfranchised and hidden grief, to grieving while parenting, to the ways men experience loss differently, to the unexpected power of creativity and legacy, this show covers grief in all its forms. Featuring expert guests, real stories, and practical tools you can use right now.
If you've lost someone you love or are in the throes of caregiving, you belong here.
New episodes drop every Sunday. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Giving Grief Grace, a Grief Podcast for the Sandwich Generation
Episode 67 - You Never Know If It's the Last Goodbye: Make Every Farewell Count
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In this solo episode, Lisa tunes in from her family's camp in Maine — a place where her mom's presence still lingers in the woodland gardens, the lake air, and the memories tucked into every corner. Between a midsummer garden party at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, a visit to her mom's memorial bench there, and celebrating her 97-year-old grandfather's "oldest citizen in town" award, Lisa found herself surrounded by generations of family in one place and got choked up saying goodbye, because you never really know if it's the last one.
This episode is a gentle but honest nudge to think about how you leave your relationships — the phone call, the text message, the hug at the door. Lisa shares why every goodbye deserves a little more intention, especially with aging or ill loved ones. She opens up about noticing early signs of decline in her own father's health this trip and why showing up in person matters more than any phone check-in ever could.
Takeaways:
- Every goodbye — a phone call, a text, an in-person visit — deserves to be left with love, because we rarely know in advance which one will be the last
- If something was left unsaid or unresolved, it's never too late to say "I'm sorry" or "I love you," even after someone is gone
- Being physically present with aging loved ones reveals what phone calls and texts can hide — if you can make the trip, do it, you won't regret it
- Grief and new life can coexist — love after loss is possible, and moving forward doesn't mean leaving someone behind
- A goodbye said with intention — an extra squeeze, an "I love you" — is a gift you can give yourself as much as the other person
"Whenever I say goodbye, it's not goodbye — it's I'll see you later, because maybe we'll see them on the other side." - LH
If this episode moved you or made you think of someone you haven't said "I love you" to in a while, share it with them. Tell them you heard something that made you think of them, and give them the extra squeeze next time you say goodbye.
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Special thanks to:
Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star Music
Podcast Music Good_B_Music
