Episode Details

In this episode of HER NEXT ACT ~ Right Here, Right Now, host Joan Paul welcomes back writer, columnist, and pro-age influencer Margaret Evans for a tender, honest, and often funny conversation about grief, loss, and learning to carry both while discovering what life still holds. If you haven't yet listened, start with the previous episode for context on Margaret's story.

When Margaret first joined the podcast in December 2024, she told Joan, "I just treasure every day because who knows how many we have left." Nine months later, her husband of 25 years, Jeff, suffered a devastating fall and passed away. Margaret shares what happened, from an ordinary, better-than-usual Sunday to the final week in the hospital, when Jeff, fully present but unable to move, communicated by letter board and eye blinks and left behind pages of notes: practical instructions, loving words, a list of people to thank or apologize to, and a few jokes.

Together, Joan and Margaret talk about what grief actually looks like: running two newspapers with no time to wallow, learning to receive help instead of holding it all together, and the surprising way anger toward Jeff melted away and the good memories came flooding back. Margaret opens up about how a grief reel on Instagram struck a chord with thousands of new followers, why she refuses to commercialize her loss, and how writing her column helps her work out what she thinks. They also explore the other kinds of grief women face at this stage of life, the role of faith, birds, and spirituality, the mandatory place of dark humor, and Margaret's vision for what comes next.

Tune in for a conversation about grief as a universal thread, the gift of letting people show up for you, and the reminder that there is still life, joy, and a next act after loss.

Episode Highlights:

➔ Introduction: Welcoming Margaret Back

➔ Grief Brings Us Together

➔ The Last Sunday: What Happened to Jeff

➔ Four Pages of Notes: Jeff's Final Gift

➔ Thrown Into the Fire: Running Two Newspapers While Grieving

➔ Letting People Hold You Up

➔ The Good Jeff: Forgiveness, Love, and Lessons About Finances

➔ Grief on Instagram: When a Reel Struck a Chord

➔ Writing Through Loss Without Commercializing It

➔ No Right Way to Grieve and the Other Losses Women Face

➔ Birds, Faith, and Engaging with the Mystery

➔ Dark Humor, Freedom, and Finding Joy Again

➔ Reimagining Life: Brand Deals, Home, and Maybe Dating

➔ Closing Reflections: Loss as a Teacher

Margaret's honesty is a reminder that grief and joy can live side by side, and that we can carry our losses while still living boldly and with wonder.

Connect with Margaret Evans:

Low Country Weekly: https://lcweekly.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margaretaginggrayfully

Learn more and follow along with me - Joan Paul

Website: https://hernextact.com/

instagram: @hernextact

facebook: @joanpaul

The Griswold Inn

Thank you for listening and remember, you're never too old, and it's not too late! That one day is now!

xojoan