At TAPS, we have witnessed over and over the healing power of connecting to the Earth and all of its wonder as part of our journeys of grief. Whether challenging ourselves to climb a high peak, pausing by a stream for a quiet moment of reflection, watching the sun rise or set over an ocean, or witnessing the wonder of the Northern Lights in Alaska, hundreds of TAPS survivors have experienced this healing. We have learned about ourselves, honored our loved ones, and become more resilient during TAPS retreats, expeditions, family campouts, or other special experiences. As one surviving spouse said after an adventure at Joshua Tree: “When you experience loss you’re forced to carry a heavy burden you did not ask for. While hiking in the desert I was able to share that burden with my TAPS family for just a little while and I was able to remind myself how strong I am.”
