Posts Tagged: veterans

First Birthday In Heaven

May 25th, 2015
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Today may be your first Memorial Day without a loved one.

My heart goes out to you and your family as you try to process the overwhelming feelings of loss while also trying to figure out how to go on with your lives.  How can you make your way down this long, winding and sometimes brutal path?  It’s a path you do not want and yet, even as you try to reject it, you find it is one you are slowly learning to walk.

headstones

ou may feel alone but you are not.  You are loved and many want to offer … Read More

Freedom & Bravery on Memorial Day

May 27th, 2013
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The smell of charcoal lighter fluid has been heavy in the air in my neighborhood this weekend which means that the grilling season is now officially open. Cookouts and parades are just two of the many ways we Americans mark the holiday of Memorial Day, a day when we pause and remember the bravery of the Americans soldiers who are thankfully still with us and those who are sadly deceased because without them we would not have the freedom to enjoy such leisure and peace. American flag displayed at Vietnam Veterans Memorial I recall as a teenager when the draft… Read More

Vice President Joe Biden’s Grief Journey

May 29th, 2012
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Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, at an event organized by Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Vice President Joe Biden emotionally extended a helping hand to military families last Friday by sharing how he endured the death of his wife and daughter and revealed that at that time his grief took him to a place where he understood for the first time how people can consider suicide to be a viable option. Whether you agree with Biden’s politics or not, his remarks were striking and intimate. Grief and how it feels is not a subject you expect… Read More

Dogs Are Making A Difference for Veterans

February 1st, 2012
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Dogs are perceived as completely accepting of humans who treat them well and therefore dogs are incredible stress reducers for their owners and those who also spend time with them.  Don’t you just love the picture above??? Research shows that people who are facing a stressful situation or coming out of a traumatic combat event have lower heart rates, blood pressure and anxiety levels when they are with a dog. Now NBC News has aired a wonderful story about an 89-year-old U.S. veteran who has raised millions of dollars to train dogs to help the more than 40,000 service men… Read More

Music Heals Soldier’s Souls

January 26th, 2012
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Music is a powerful medium that touches the human soul. This link will take you to a compelling story featured in today’s Washington Post.  I’m sharing the link because the story shines a light on the healing effects of music for veterans trying to overcome their traumatic memories of war. http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/military-veterans-seek-support-and-release-through-music-at-lifequest-arts-camp/2012/01/23/gIQAeRcMQQ_story.html… Read More