Freedom is never free

Nov 17, 2023

Hi Friends,

This post will be a short one, as I am currently in Texas leading a mindfulness retreat for Veterans with post-traumatic stress. My nonprofit Mission Flexible is hosting thirteen Veterans at a camp near Houston, and we’re doing all kinds of cool things like yoga, meditation, and writing. Plus a ropes course, art therapy, spa night, drumming, giant swing, shit-talking around campfires, and cuddling while wearing animal onesies.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Veteran’s program, you can see recap videos here. And if you’re feeling generous (Giving Tuesday is just around the corner!) I’d be so grateful for a donation. These retreats are totally free for Veterans, and so we are entirely dependent on donations to continue supporting those who have served this country.

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For Veteran’s Day this year, I participated in Ruck the Ridge. A ruck gets its roots from military training, and it’s basically walking a certain distance with a weighted backpack.

Instead of weighting my backpack, I carried my friend’s two-year-old daughter - that seemed to do the trick.

I opted to protect her identity rather than show how how cute my friend’s kid is

I also got to climb over stuff. Here’s the video evidence of my first Stairway to Heaven:

lisa.jakub

A post shared by @lisa.jakub

Not shown: my Marine friend Kevin hurling me over "Rolling Thunder" — a horizontal tire obstacle, and me falling off a log while trying to do Standing Bow — a balancing yoga posture.

For many civilians without ties to the military, it seems like Veterans are only taken into consideration on Veterans Day, and even then it’s just a quick thank you for your service. That was definitely my experience up until I started doing this work in 2016. I hope you’ll check out the work that we do at Mission Flexible and perhaps share it with a Veteran you know, or consider a donation. Every little bit helps us provide mental wellness support and suicide prevention to those who need it.

If you are looking to expand your understanding of Veteran culture, here are some suggestions. There are a million other things that should be included, but I’ll leave it here.

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MandatoryFunDay will help you with something essential to understand — who to make fun of and how.

mandatoryfunday

A post shared by @mandatoryfunday

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NO LEGAL OBJECTION, PER SE by E.M. Liddick

A beautiful piece of writing by my friend Eric on moral injury and other invisible wounds of combat. Also, check out Eric’s new book, All the Memories That Remain