Nature - The Soul’s Healing Balm

TAPS Outdoors Launches a New Series - A Breath of Fresh Air

This year has taught us many things as we’ve collectively navigated challenges, but one thing has felt deeply personal to our TAPS family: connection is the healing balm for our souls. There is no greater time nor greater need than now to reach out and reach within to connect. 

At TAPS Outdoors we know, through science and experience, that our greatest tool for connection can be found anywhere, anytime: nature. Whether it’s taking your coffee to the back porch in the morning, scrolling through images and watching videos of your favorite National Parks, or finally taking that family backpacking or paddling trip, the great outdoors allows us to connect to something bigger than ourselves, see ourselves in the ecosystems we explore and share experiences with friends, family and strangers that roots us deeply into the power of connection.  

This is your invitation to celebrate the power of connection through nature with our new series "A Breath of Fresh Air" with #TAPSOutdoors! It’s simple. We share weekly activities around a monthly theme, and you get outdoors and find the connection you seek where and how it makes sense to you! We invite you to share about your experience on social media using the hashtag #TAPSOutdoors.  

It all starts right now, and no better way to begin than in reconnecting with the land our loved ones served and protected.  

Today is National Public Lands Day and National Hunting & Fishing Day! These two holidays, celebrated on the fourth Saturday of September, exemplify core values in the heart of every American. Our land is cared for and protected unlike anywhere else in the world and our pastimes of hunting and fishing hold roots in how we utilize, manage and sustain this land for generations to come. 

National Public Lands Day is our nation’s day to celebrate our connection to green spaces in our community, how we can access and utilize them, and ultimately how we can continue to be good stewards of the lands our loved ones served to protect. And, for many of our families, National Hunting and Fishing Day connects us not only to the land, but of fond memories with our loved ones. Every time I drop a line in the water or feel the leaves crunch beneath my feet walking to my deer stand, my mind is drawn back to fond memories sharing laughs with my siblings at our local Fishing Derby or learning the family tradition of harvesting our own food and learning about the wildlife where we live.  

As we begin this journey together on “A Breath of Fresh Air,” we invite you to open your heart to the connection nature has to offer. From balcony plant boxes to rural wooded homes, from walks in the local park to hikes in a National park, TAPS Outdoors wants to help you find the right tips, tools and tricks to navigate the wilds of our natural world and the wilds of your grief. Let’s step outside, breathe deep and experience the healing power of the natural world alongside our fellow survivors across the nation and around the world. 

For more information on "A Breath of Fresh Air," email expeditions@taps.org, or call the TAPS Outdoors team at 800-959-TAPS (8277).

Learn more about National Public Lands Day and how to access nature on our nation’s land. Learn more about National Hunting & Fishing Day and ways you can connect to these pastimes. 

Rachel Hunsell serves as the Program Manager for TAPS Outdoors.