06/04/2026
Last month, our staff, board, songwriters, and supporters gathered in Nashville to hear new recordings of songs that will be released this year. It was a special evening—bringing to life the stories that began in our retreat rooms.
We were thrilled when alumni Teresa and Floyd Howes shared that they would be passing through Nashville and could join us. Their presence was a meaningful reminder of the lasting connections that grow from this work.
During the evening, Teresa shared a reflection about her experience with SongwritingWith:Soldiers that stayed with everyone in attendance. Using the metaphor of “warm rolls,” she described the feeling of comfort, safety, and care she and Floyd found during their retreat experience after years of navigating trauma, illness, and isolation following her deployment to Kuwait where she, and her unit, supported Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“It felt like those warm rolls… the goodness of warmth and inclusion,” Teresa shared. “We laughed, cried, and recognized the organic healing around us.”
She spoke about how music and storytelling helped crack open conversations that had long felt unreachable, and how the relationships formed through SW:S continue to shape their lives years later.
It was a simple but deeply meaningful moment—one that captured the heart of what this community can be: a place where stories are heard, creativity is nurtured, and connection continues.
https://songwritingwithsoldiers.org/warm-rolls/
