Safety Net Stories

These stories, often contributed by readers and workshop participants, express how personal safety nets and care share teams have made a difference in their lives.

You - Ready Next Time

Image for visual representation of this story

PSN is about creating a system or network, personally or professionally, to support you during times of need. It is about putting in place a plan to provide an arrow reminding you of where you intend to go. Understand this and learn to use some PSN tools.

Putting a Team Together - FIRST STEPS

Once you have put together your own supportive personal safety network organized what you might need and want in your life, and asked to be part of this network, a time will come to look at reaching out to form a team to help with some change or challenge that comes up for you or someone you want to help. Here's four steps to follow.

Our October e-Newsletter feature story focused upon the kindness and caring of the Patriot Guard Riders. We received a wonderful follow-up letter through Richard Trzcinki, a PGR rider, whose son had written a school essay about "A person or experience that had an effect on your life."

We call this "Outreach Reaches Back." Read what the son learned.

I thought of the family having to go through the loss of their son, and having the protesters there essentially pouring salt into their gaping wounds. It was the turning point for me in my depression. I knew I had to do something.

Friends Do Matter!

We are all integral parts of a Personal Safety Net; a support system we all need to understand as we move ahead - one that allows us to fulfill our dreams and deal with challenges that life sends us along the way. John & Judy's book was given quite a bit of credit for beautifully explaining this ongoing process in a letter from Brenda C.

Funny . . . And True!

Our funny joke has a moral: The best assurance of staying connected, regardless of age or reason, is communication and the power of having made and taken appropriate action on decisions.

Letting Them Grow . . . Or Stay

What to do with that grad who is heading home and planning on staying there? It's not the same as it was years ago - and YOU may not be ready for the changes in store!

The Reality of Kindness

I wake up happy, and love extending kindness to others and having others extend their kindness to me, but am I really naively clinging to a concept that has no value and no reality?

Looking Out for Each Other in the 'Hood

Without an official Neighborhood Watch or Personal Safety Net program, a neighborhood evolved in a group of homes that take an interest in each others' well-being.

Tell Your Story/Paint Your Picture

Effectiveness wasn't in more definitions or in louder explanation of our goals. It consisted of making my presentation personal - focusing on real examples and personal stories - connecting to feelings and thoughts, and painting a picture that would unlock the path to clarity and get us both on the same page.

Share your Story

Help others by sharing your own experience dealing with the unexpected. What worked well? What didn't work at all? We'd like to publish real stories of real people with your actual photo. If you wish to be anonymous, please include this request in your submission. See Terms & Conditions.

Tell us your story

Looking for a story in the book?

Our book contains dozens of stories ranging on topics from dealing with family issues to sudden job loss to aging creatively. Readers often tell us how handy it is, so we've created an easy-to-print Story Index for our readers. Grab a copy to go with your book!

Download the Story Index