The common thread through all of this and the lesson I most learned was: with service to others, we serve ourselves. Service is blind, it has no pretense, it is honest, and it can unite us in a way that is as strong as family. After this short time with these people, I have a renewed faith in man, a new optimism, and energy to live a better life. So, thank you No Barriers and all that for which you stand. I am inspired.
NO BARRIERS: INSPIRED
By Todd Andrews, President / Co-Founder, tasc Performance
I was fortunate enough to represent our company at a series of events to benefit Soldiers to Summits and the No Barriers organization. The No Barriers mission, simply stated, is “to unleash the potential of the human spirit.”
The activities, planned by a selfless friend and tasc ambassador Remembrance Staber, took place in the beautiful Asheville area and included great food, hiking, meaningful speeches, and a golf tournament. The No Barriers motto, “what’s within you is stronger than what’s in your way,” become real to me over the course of two days as I listened to the stories of the veterans and their team leaders.
I learned that people, who should be broken as a result of circumstances and horrible events, can live lives of great importance and meaning. I learned that a beautiful woman that suffered unspeakable treatment from her fellow soldiers who was only 1 week from ending her own life; could stand in the living room of a magnificent home and present with the grace and class of a Fortune 500 CEO. I learned that a kid with a heartbreaking upbringing could grow into a man that is mentioned in the speeches of Presidents, form a company that employs 30 people, create a program that takes the disabled climbing, and has a life so organized that he can take 3 months off to climb & surf around the country. I learned that a young Navy Seal can be unbelievably humble and carry himself with quiet dignity, despite being the biggest badass in the surrounding 4 counties. I learned that a former M.P. with a sweet shy personality can speak with refreshing honesty and has the courage to lead men and women on mountains. I learned than a man born with a seemingly insurmountable disability (congenital amputation) can live a life so rich and full that most able-bodied people would be jealous (www.kyle-maynard.com). I experienced the quiet generosity of people of means that sought no recognition, but simply wanted to be a part of something pure. I learned that a professional mountaineer and a successful business woman/celebrity can share the same perspective and a unique optimism about life.
