Once upon a time, I lived a life where Memorial Day weekend marked the beginning of summer, with backyard barbecues and three days off from work and school.
I was always touched by the parade and cemetery services in that …
On Friday I think I was in denial.
Like a beating drum, I kept hearing Mike’s words tap away in my mind. “What the heck are any of us fighting for if you won’t live like you are free?”
My soldier-husband, then on a …
Suicide
One of the things I heard early on at TAPS, as well as from my counselor at home, is the importance of self-care.
I’m a mother of three young children. Whenever this term “self-care” is thrown around in my presence I …
Suicide
Today, I am tired of suicide.
I ache in my bones and muscles and soul for all the suffering that continues to occur.
I am tired of learning about people who reached out for help, sometimes screaming for help, and they were …
Suicide
Shannon, Tim and John.
These names, prior to our trip to the TAPS National Military Survivors Seminar in Washington, D.C., in May were not names I heard spoken in our home. Now, they receive nearly daily mentions and are …
Suicide
As I lay out the clothes and review the checklist for our trip Friday, I can’t help but reflect on what TAPS — Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors — means to me and my children.
Not everyone finds TAPS right …
