Saturday Morning Message: Thankful for TAPS
Author: Carol Lane
Good Morning,
Because it is Thanksgiving weekend, this Saturday Morning Message features a list of resources TAPS provides that I am thankful for as a survivor. Since a list of all the programs would make this message too long, I’ve only included some of the programs. Visit TAPS programs web page to learn more.
The picture today is from the TAPS website showing survivors participating in the 24th National Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp. The 2019 National Seminar will be held May 24-27. Details will be announced soon. You are welcome to visit the TAPS Events Calendar to see the list of other events.
Connecting with others in your local area can be very comforting. TAPS has Care Groups in several different states. When you go to the TAPS website, you can find the Care Group locations provided by TAPS as well as a list of other resources near you.
Taking care of your Mind, Body and Spirit is very important during grief. The link will lead you to the programs to take care of your whole self. Another interesting program in this area is teams4taps. This is a way survivor can attend the favorite sports event of their fallen loved one. There are a wide variety of sporting events for survivors.
The Online Community connects survivors throughout the year right from their own living rooms. Survivors need to be signed in before they can access the Online Community. To do that, go to the Programs section at the top of the TAPS website. Then click on the words Online Community. In addition to the variety of peer groups, there is a blog section. You can also access the video and text chats. A list of the upcoming chats is provided when you go to this page.
When you are ready, you might want to become a Peer Mentor. This is a program designed to connect new survivors to others who are farther along on this grief journey. In this way, we never have to walk alone. This is how the weekly Saturday Morning Message came to be. I was a Peer Mentor and wanted to connect the mentees I had with others. Then it grew to what it is now. We can ask questions and respond or just read how others cope. As survivors began to write longer essays, poems, and send drawings, the monthly Writer’s Circle developed. You can receive either or both of these, by contacting me at online@taps.org.
I hope this special edition of the Saturday Morning Message is helpful to you. We are thankful for all the ways TAPS provides comfort and care to our TAPS family.
THANK YOU TAPS!
Hugs,
Carol Lane
Mother of Bryon
Question for Next Week’s Saturday Morning Message
This week’s question came from a conversation in a recent general chat: What are your strategies for coping with the December holidays? We look forward to your replies.
♫ Song for the Week
This week I am sending you one of my favorite songs. It is just a fun song called “A Place in the Choir.” It is one of those songs to which you can clap hands or dance. It always brings me a smile.
You can send me favorite songs for this song of the week section at online@taps.org. I directly receive all responses that are sent to this address.
Other Items and Events of Interest
Join us on Memorial Day Weekend, May 28 to 30, for our 27th Annual National Military Survivor Seminar! We will be live streaming all of our general sessions with guest speakers.
Important Note: In-person registration is still open, but we are in a waitlist situation due to COVID occupancy restrictions in the State of Virginia.
If you have any questions, email seminarregistrations@taps.org or call our Helpline at 202.588.TAPS (8277).
▶▶ Connect With Your TAPS Family
You can discover all the opportunities to connect with your TAPS Family on our website at the TAPS Event Calendar.
About the Saturday Morning Message
The Saturday Morning Message (SMM) is a weekly communication contributed by survivors. The primary focus of the SMM is to foster peer-based connections for support and encouragement. It is the goal of this communication to foster a safe, supportive place where we can openly share in a nonjudgmental and caring manner. Read and contribute as you are comfortable. Content submitted for the SMM is edited for space considerations and may be used in other TAPS publications. The loving family at TAPS is available to you 24 hours a day. Please call 202-588-TAPS (8277).