From Rebecca: Grief, Growth, and Generational Questions - A Conversation with Amber Jeffrey

I recently had the incredible opportunity to sit down with Amber Jeffrey.  If you don't know Amber (and seriously, where have you been?), she's the powerhouse behind The Grief Gang, and she's been my grief inspiration for years.

Let's rewind to 2020 for a second. There I was, freshly grieving my dad who died on day one of COVID lockdown, desperately searching for someone, anyone, who got what I was going through. The Grief Gang spoke to me in a way that other resources couldn't, offering real talk about loss when I needed it most.

In our conversation, Amber and I discovered we had more in common than just our grief journeys. We both lost moms named Susan (was every mom in that generation named Susan?), and we've both grappled with being known as "the grief girl" in social settings. Surprisingly, we found that this label can be oddly liberating – it opens up space for genuine connections and real conversations.

One topic that particularly resonated with me was our discussion about resilience. We're both a bit tired of being called "resilient" by others. It's not always the compliment people think it is - sometimes it feels like pressure to always be strong or a way to gloss over our pain. We agreed, though, that there's power in claiming that resilience for ourselves when we genuinely feel it

The heart of our conversation, though, delved into a complex area of grief that often goes unaddressed: the intersection of losing our parents and contemplating parenthood ourselves. Amber shared her struggle to envision motherhood without her mom's guidance. We explored the fear of potentially subjecting a child to the pain we've experienced, balanced against the desire to pass on the love our parents gave us. It's a messy, confusing topic with no clear answers, but one that I believe many in our generation are silently grappling with.

This dialogue with Amber reinforced why I started Grief’d Up. There's a need for honest, unfiltered discussions about the myriad ways grief impacts our lives – even in areas we might not initially expect. It's these conversations that help us feel less alone in our experiences. 

If you're interested in hearing two grief-experienced women get real about loss, life, and the big questions about our futures, I encourage you to listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. And if you find value in it, please consider leaving a rating or review. Your support helps other grievers find our community, and we all know how crucial it is to connect with people who truly understand.

Remember, whether you're comfortable openly discussing your grief or still finding your voice, there's a place for you in this community. 

Grieve on,

Rebecca

P.S. Your reviews and ratings truly make a difference in helping others find support. If you have a moment, please consider leaving one for the podcast. Future grievers (and your future self) will thank you.