Everything, really. Military service was a big part of my family legacy. Many of my family members served in the military and I spent many years overseas growing up in a Navy family. I saw the daily sacrifices of the men and women around me and felt their bravery. I don’t think you can truly appreciate the challenges of being in the military or being in a military family unless you’ve lived it day in and day out. In contrast to the difficulty, there are also many blessings. Military members tend to grow up very quickly. They develop strong life skills at very early ages and are put through the fire of change and growth regularly. As a result, they are amazing people that carry a great deal of raw wisdom. I saw strength, fearlessness, personal sacrifice and great honor all around me as a member of a military family.

I personally saw my father and my mother go through change regularly, spending periods of time separated from one another, and yet I always felt very loved. That balance is not easy and can strain many military families. I saw many families fractured as a child.

I also remember seeing my dad in his military uniform and being so very proud of him as a human being and a father. Over time, I have grown to more fully understand the deep strength my mother carried as she navigated life as a wife of a military member. I have personally spent a fair amount of time healing the wounds of constant change, the stress of living in unsafe areas of the world, and being exposed to toxins on various military bases.

My experience growing up in a military family fostered a connection to the tenants of our country and so I decided to serve as a civilian supporting the Navy for many years. I continued to see the sacrifices and strength of the military around me.

I reflect back on all of this with deep gratitude at this stage of my personal growth and see my experiences as the catalyst for my ability to soar today. I feel a deep calling to help others with what I have learned. This is a big piece of our mission at Infinity.

I know have been gifted the beautiful opportunity to help the veterans around me. Many veterans get dropped by the system once they retire. As a result of working in dangerous conditions, many veterans experience constant pain, have problems sleeping, are often heavily medicated and become homeless at times. The root cause of their poor health is due to being exposed to toxins and infectious diseases and working under very high stress conditions, oftentimes for years. This takes a huge toll on their physical and mental health. They wait in long lines to get care and often give up once they realize their true circumstances once they retire. The suicide rate for our veterans is unacceptable.

At Infinity, we want to help honor our veterans get out of pain, recover their bodies and lives. They carry so much wisdom and power that can be focused on our country and our future generations. These were the traditions of indigenous cultures that we have the opportunity to cultivate in our communities. Imagine when these warriors are out of pain and can truly give back with the same strength, wisdom and power that they served in the military. This will be such a gift to our community, the people that served and their families.

It is an honor to serve those who served.