#38 - The Other G-Word No One Wants to Talk About
EPISODE #38
This week’s anonymous caller shares the story of his father’s death and the long stretch of distance that came before it. Their relationship was complicated, and when he finally got the call that his father was dying, he stepped into a moment he wasn’t sure he was ready for — holding his father’s hand in a hospital room, listening for the breath that wouldn’t return. The experience left him disoriented in every direction: emotionally, logically, and spiritually.
From there, the conversation moves into the quieter territory where grief and guilt overlap. He talks about the anger that surfaced unexpectedly, the way guilt can reshape a memory, and the strange duality of believing in science by day while leaning into prayer at night. Even beneath his calm, thoughtful voice, you can hear how much is still unresolved — and how heavy unfinished relationships can feel.
We also explore the practical side of death that families often avoid: end-of-life planning, what happens when there’s no roadmap, and why leaving behind clear instructions can be a final act of care. He speaks openly about being the one who will carry those responsibilities for his family, and why even simple plans — accounts, wishes, passwords, a basic casket — matter more than we think.
Threaded through all of this is a deeper reflection on accomplishment and what it means to feel “finished” in a life that rarely gives us clean endings. His honesty about not having that answer yet is part of what makes this call so compelling. It’s unresolved, it’s layered, and it’s deeply human.
Book Recommendation: Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
If you’d like to watch this conversation instead of just listening, you can find the video version on YouTube.
Listen to the full episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.