EPISODE 9: THE GRIEF TRAIN: LESSONS IN GRIEF, GRATITUDE & LOVE
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You never know when the Grief Train may stop at your station. When it does, author Marinda Freeman believes the answer isn't to avoid grief, but to honor it, learn from it, and eventually discover the gratitude and love that remain. In this heartfelt conversation, Marinda shares the story behind her book The Grief Train and the sudden loss of her husband that inspired it. Together, Judy, Jess, and Marinda explore grief, aging, friendship, remembrance, and the idea that all of life is an event worth acknowledging with intention, appreciation, and love.
Here’s some of what we discuss in this episode:
🚂 Grief doesn't follow a timeline
🕯️ How rituals and personal altars can help healing
💭 The importance of feeling grief instead of avoiding it
👥 The role of community and human connection during loss
🌱 Why aging itself can sometimes create feelings of grief
✨ Learning to celebrate life while honoring loss
MARINDA FREEMAN
Marinda Freeman is a Speaker, Master Event Design Consultant, and Author with over four decades of experience designing and producing impactful events, from corporate conferences and nonprofit galas to festivals, retreats, and community gatherings. A former Executive Director of Martha Stewart Catering, she helps organizations and individuals create events with greater clarity, structure, and ease while fostering meaningful connection and community. As the bestselling author of Everything Is an Event, Marinda teaches the principles of intentional event design and the psychology of hospitality, showing audiences how gatherings can strengthen relationships, create belonging, and leave a lasting impact. Through engaging stories, practical insights, and lessons learned from decades of experience, Marinda inspires audiences to think differently about connection, community, and belonging—and the role each of us plays in creating experiences that bring people together.
LINKS:
Marinda Freeman Event Consulting
Get your copy of The Grief Train
Get your copy of Everything is an Event