Life After Loss: Navigating Grief and Learning to Live Again

Send us Fan Mail What if grieving is, in many ways, a process of relearning the world? This idea sits at the heart of the work of philosopher and author Thomas Attig, who has spent decades exploring death, dying, grief and loss. When someone we love dies, it's not only their physical presence that disappears. The world we knew with them in it has changed, and we have to gradually learn how to live within that new reality. In this episode, Thomas joins me to explore his philosophy of grief and what it means to relearn a world that has been profoundly changed by loss. Grief can touch our relationships, routines, work, finances, faith and even our sense of who we are. Learning to live again means finding our way through all of it. We talk about why we can feel so uncomfortable around grief, and what we can actually say or do when someone we care about is hurting. Sometimes there are no right words and nothing to fix. Being willing to listen, to stay present and to allow someone to speak honestly about their loss can be far more meaningful. We also explore Thomas's distinction between problems that can be solved and the mysteries of life that ask something different of us. Love, mortality, suffering and loss aren't experiences we can neatly resolve or tick off a list. And yet, grief doesn't mean the end of our relationship with the person who has died. Thomas introduces the beautiful idea of "loving in separation" — finding new ways to remember, speak about and remain connected to those we love while continuing to live our own lives. For anyone experiencing loss, supporting someone who is grieving, or simply wanting to understand this inevitable part of being human, this conversation offers a compassionate and deeply thoughtful perspective on what it means to grieve — and to slowly relearn the world. Visit our website to find out more about this week's guest. All of our guests, including this one, are included in our Guest Directory so that you can find out more about them and the work that they do. https://midliferebelpodcast.com/guest-directory If you'd like to support the show you can buy me a coffee! https://buymeacoffee.com/midliferebelpodcast