Life II

Da kommer siste del av talen til L, og personlig mener i alle fall jeg at han har mange gode poeng når en bare tenker gjennom hva det er han egentlig sier.

One of my other missions is to change the world in here. Not by filling grievances or lawsuits. I am not a whiner, anymore. The best way to change our world is to first change ourselves. So I set about making that change, and now I want to be a part of helping others change for the better. If you can believe it, my life is full of love and happiness here in prison. I am truly free for the first time behind these walls. I have learned how to be unselfish and to seek joy in the small things. I see in each of you here a man that can, by his change of heart, become a force for making prison a better place, a place where love and compassion can be found. Do you know what will happen when we do that? These prisons will become unnecessary. You want to start a revolution? Do you want to make your mark on the world? Become a part of changing this world and you will never be forgotten.

I am tired of hearing people say that they cannot make a change in anything. It is a lie and a coward’s way out. What about Mr. Morris and the other volunteers that come here. If they truly believed that they could not make a difference, do you think they would be here? I sometimes imagine them, the volunteer, sitting at a table looking at all the programs that they sponsor, figuring out how many people they will truly reach. What makes it worth it to them? Are they happy to reach one individual? Do they want to reach 15%, 25%, 50%, or 90%? I look at someone like Mr. Morris and I am in awe of the time that they sacrifice, the love that is evident, and I don’t know about you, I feel a little unworthy of that. I do know that I want to make him and all of the other people who give so freely to us, proud of me. I want them to be able to go home and say to their family or to their God, «I did it, I made a difference today». I know that it is the same thing that I want to say too at the end of each day.

I have come to a point in my life where this life sentence is not something that can keep me down. Sure, I have my moments, but my desire, no my need to become a part of making our world, in here and out there and in the future something better outweighs all other considerations.

I am a self-proclaimed Atlas, I bear the weight of my world willingly upon my shoulders, mostly. I have my missions and my duties, and I have all of you, my brothers. And together we can become a force to be reckoned with, an Army for the cause of positive forward movement, an Army that can re-make all aspects of our world. I humbly ask each of you to join me in this adventure, this quest. It won’t be easy, but the rewards will be uncountable.

Life I

Joda, vi er her fortsatt, og vi skriver fortsatt brev. Men jeg har i alle fall selv litt tungt for å skrive her inne for tiden fordi det er mye annet som opptar meg. Da er det jo fint å brevveksle med L, som ser ut til å ha mye på hjertet. Dette er faktisk første del av en tale han ga på et toastmaster program han er med på der inne, og han sa at jeg gjerne kunne dele den på bloggen. Dere trenger ikke bare å se på det i forhold til å skrive med en innsatt heller - se like gjerne på det som noen visdomsord for livet ditt generelt. Legger ut siste del i morgen.

Life

Here in the last 8 years or so, I have often asked myself what is it that makes a life worthy? Can my life have any meaning to others besides the fact that I am here in prison? I learned in psychology that these questions should be coming several decades from now in the psychological time-line of the aging process. I had to wonder, am I ahead of my time or am I just getting older more quickly in here?

Those of you who were here for my icebreaker several months ago may remember how dark my path was after I received this life sentence that I am serving. It was a shroud of sadness, pain and death that covered my entire world. There was no hope. I wanted to die. Every day was a journey through some hell of my own making. Fear made for my only friend, and he hated me. I didn’t die though; I finally awoke from that horrid dream.

I still had a life sentence though, with so many years ahead of me. I still wondered what I had to offer the world around me, but I finally made the conscious decision to make the attempt. There is a good possibility that in the end, I will die in infamy, remembered only for the wrongs that I have done. But, and I am so thankful there is a but, there is some small chance that Life in here might not mean that the world and I are through with each other.

I know you all might find this hard to believe, but I have such big dreams and goals. Even in here, my mind and heart have not stopped planning to change the world, to change all words, our world in here, our world out there, and our world in the future. My mind is a never resting machine so full of… everything, that I sometimes have to force myself to stop. Some of you who know me, know that I have this insatiable desire to just do something.

I have many missions. I have so many missions that I am like a battlefield general, trying to juggle them all so that each of them have a chance to succeed. I must, because they are all very important to the success of my life, not necessarily the success of each mission but the following through of each mission.

For instance, one of my missions is a threefold mission. It is to foster a sense of duty to making amends to victims of a crime in my fellow inmates, of providing the vehicle to make those amends and to executing that vehicle. It is my belief that as person who have wronged society in some way, we have a duty to become better people and to become a force for the betterment of our society. Part of doing that is to become strong enough to admit to our wrongs and seek to offer redress to those that we have harmed. That redress can come in many forms. One of my projects is a compilation of essays done by inmates, sort of a, «What would you say to your victim or victims if you could talk to them». My intent is to publish these essays and donate all of the proceeds to victims charities. The funds will be donated in the names of all of the authors. As _______ passes out these sheets, I would invite each of you to write an essay and submit it.

Scorned

For litt siden la Julie ut et lite innlegg på et par forum for å la flere få muligheten til å høre at det er mulig å faktisk skrive til noen i fengsel. Noen av dere har kanskje kommet over bloggen gjennom nettopp dette, men en kan vel trygt si at det var blandede tilbakemeldinger som kom. I og med at L er så interessert i alt som foregår rundt bloggen, fortalte jeg ham om dette, og det ventet et blogginnlegg i posten nå for et par dager siden. Han har noen gode poeng her, så ville bare dele dette med dere.

Jeg velger å kalle noen av tilbakemeldingene fordommer.

Scorned

Hey Y’all, I wanted to talk to you about something that I should have in the beginning, something that you will more than likely have to go through at some point if you are writing an inmate. The fact that you will have to deal with people who will, well to put it plainly, people who will be mean to you because you make a difference in someone’s life. It is difficult to reconcile this ridicule you will face with the compassionate face society seeks to engender, but it is true. You will be looked down upon for your kindness.

As an example, the two young women who run this site were recently attacked by some young men who made a mockery of what they are trying to do, twisted the compassion that they are attempting to bring into the lives of those who most of you would not even think of. I wonder at the character of the "men" who would do something like this. The facts are though that if you choose to write someone in prison, you more than likely will be derided at one time or another. My opinion is that these men probably thought the young women who run this site are attractive and could not stand the idea that they would be attracted to a criminal. You know, I can understand that, but they did themselves no favors in how they approached their subject. I don’t think they impressed anyone with their hate.

However, there were some interesting points in their words. Even though it pains me to say this, anyone who seeks to befriend anyone in prison, whether man or woman, I would advise you not to engage in a romantic relationship with that person. 90 % of these relationships do not end well. Not that they end up with something bad happening, they just end. There are exceptions and sometimes they do work, but most of the time they do not. Another thing I wanted to address was the idea that an inmate is someone to be afraid of. The answer to that question is difficult because yes you should be aware of what the person you want to write has done and is capable of. Google can usually tell you much of that. But you know the fact remains that you can write to someone and then decide that it would not work, Be honest and up front. I will tell you true that the odds of any physical harm coming to you from an inmate that you will never actually see is …uhm… nil. The odds of an inmate coming to Norway, an ex-con whom Norway would more than likely not allow in country is pretty much nil. And then there is the fact that you are changing a life; if that is something that you have done, then how could that ever enter your mind?

To become someone’s friend and show someone a better way, to mentor them and help them become better people is such a noble thing. And in doing so, you also make our world a better place. This is true in all parts of our world and does not just apply to the prisoner. As a prisoner though, it takes your effort to reach out, because we cannot do it on our own way and most of the time we would not even think to do so. What this means is that you are needed.

You know, I will more than likely not ever get out of prison, but I am blessed. I find joy in every day; I have hope and faith, and I have a reason to wake up each day. Whether it is to write this blog or write a letter to my good friend or to find some way to better the world that I live in. In all of these things I am blessed. If you would have known me when I first got locked up, you would never ever think I could have become the man I am today; I was not a nice person. My rage is gone now, and I could not have done it on my own. Remember that when it seems that it is not worth the scorn you will face; the change that takes place in the heart of a man is something that he cannot do alone.

Peace

Of Humility

Jeg poster et nytt innlegg fra L nå. Vet ikke hvor relevant det er for alle, men for de av dere - og jeg vet det er noen - som faktisk har tatt steget og begynt å skrive med noen kan det kanskje være av interesse. Men jeg vil først poengtere det at ved å skrive til en innsatt; du trenger ikke å gå så "hardt" inn i det som de tingene L snakker om her. Du må ikke ta en så aktivt del av livet deres - egentlig er det bare nok at du faktisk skriver med/til dem innimellom. Gir dem noen ord fra utsiden. Men kanskje er det noen av dere som gjerne vil utrette den forskjellen i livet deres, virkelig hjelpe dem til å finne seg selv og bli trygge på seg selv.

Of Humility

You have discussed the idea of mission with your inmate, and hopefully you have helped him determine that mission in the context of his life and each distinct faction of that life. Now it is time to begin to develop the character needed to complete the mission by the attainment of virtue. Virtue gives worthy missions life; the first virtue is Humility.

Humility is defined, for your purpose, as Modesty. It means that someone who has the virtue of humility sees himself as he truly is and does not consider himself superior to anyone no matter what his abilities or accomplishments. A feeling of superiority over another person is of pride and is the antithesis of humility.

Humility is difficult to embrace in most westernized societies. In our cultures, we strive to become superior to each other through our success. We mistake those accomplishments as a testament that we are better than others. We treasure aggressiveness, victory, and status, and we see humility as a weakness. The fact is though, that someone who has a superior attitude will always fall to the someone who has the virtue of humility.

Having the virtue of humility means that you can say, “I was wrong; I'm sorry; please forgive me,” with sincerity. It means that you can ask for and receive constructive criticism; it allows you to take responsibility for your own failures. A person who has humility can learn from his mistakes and grow.

Humility is necessary virtue for any worthy mission, but how do you approach humility with someone who feels that it is a weakness, like most inmates do? Like anything else in a person's life, the desire to change has to be there. You can see where your inmate is by asking him questions about his ability to admit guilt, to accept criticism; does he have any prejudices? Get a feel for where he is at and whether he is ready to take this step, some people aren't. If he seems receptive explain to him about the virtue of humility and what it means. If he is willing, ask him to begin some exercises that will help him keep the goal of obtaining humility. During a month ask him to keep track of how many times he feels that he is better than someone else, for any reason. Then he should write down why he felt that way. Also keep track of how many times he apologized or admitted that he was wrong, and how many times he asked for or was able to accept criticism. He should keep track of all of this in writing and send it to you so that you both can discuss it. The idea is for him to be cognizant of what it means to be humble.

It is difficult to be humble in prison. Many consider it a weakness. Most inmates walk around with a mask of animosity and pride. They feel that admitting to being wrong or imperfect is a loss of face. For some this is impossible to overcome without a radical change in their lives. The thing is, humility is not weakness or thinking less of oneself or one's abilities, gifts or talents. Humility is seeing oneself without illusion, faults and all. Humility is believing that each person has as much worth as you do, as much right to life and to complete their mission. If your inmate is really searching for a better way, then a humble heart is an important virtue in the building of his character.

Peace

A Matter of Social Responsibility II

...her kommer resten av bloggposten til L (første del kan leses her).

A Matter of Social Responsibility

A Mission for life is essential for anyone to succeed. A Mission defines what we hope to accomplish in the totality of life. Missions can be ugly things, but they can also be beautiful. Your goal should be to help your inmate develop a positive Mission that takes his life on a journey that is more about others than self. Each life will have many different Missions, for family, for work, for faith; the ultimate goal of Mission is to get an inmate to think about how he wants to be remembered when he dies.

For instance:
I will be conscious of the harm that I have wrought and how that will perceived by others. I will be compassionate and understanding to those that I meet. I will fight to end the harm that I helped create by dedicating of myself and my material assets in its end.

This is one of my Missions in regards to my duty to the society that I harmed by committing a crime. This was one of the first Missions that I was able to articulate in my life. Since that time, I have striven to be a part of the solution to crime. This Mission is not about self; it is about making the world a better place. It is indicative of all good Missions. This Mission can be measured by me in my daily undertakings and what I have given of myself and material assets to the cause of my Mission.

The way that you go about doing this for your inmate is become involved in his life. If says he is trying to become a better person and then tells you something that contradicts that, confront him about it. Help him determine what it is that he wants to become, not as far as employment (that too) but as far as character.

A worthy Mission has the following characteristics: 1) Service to something beyond personal welfare; 2) Clear, measurable goals; 3) The highest standards. A worthy Mission focuses on the virtues of: Humility, Excellence, Kindness, Discipline, Courage, and Wisdom, and is supported by the pillars of Ethics, Service, and Action.

So what, did you think that writing an inmate was just a lark? Were you just trying to have fun? Just realize that these men and women have, for the most part, had hard and brutal lives. Most of them deserve to be in prison. Their mind set is not the same as yours. Most of my peers will use you and throw you away without even thinking twice. Are you willing to tackle that project? It takes a special person to do it; it is not a thing to be taken lightly, but it is a worthy Mission for you. The ultimate Mission that we should all have is to make our world a better, kinder, more honorable place. Each of us have a part to play in that Mission; could yours be to help change the heart of one of the fallen? I, for one, hope so.

In my later blogs, I will talk about these virtues and how they apply to the completion of any Mission. I would be happy to answer any questions; they can be sent to the blog host [Monika], and I will get them.

A Matter of Social Responsibility I

Neimen ble det ikke litt stille her igjen for en stund. Får vel gjøre opp for det og legge ut en ny post jeg har fått fra L. Som han selv poengterer, er det litt annerledes enn hva han har skrevet tidligere, denne gangen. Men jeg legger det ut likevel. Litt alvorlig er det, og for å fort gi et lite "referat" om hva det dreier seg om, skal jeg sitere ham fra mot slutten: "So what, did you think that writing an inmate was just a lark? Were you just trying to have fun?" 

Dette er del en, siden posten var på ca. to sider. Resten poster jeg i løpet av morgendagen.

A Matter of Social Responsibility

Social Responsibility is the idea that each of us has a duty to ensure that we do our part to ensure that our world becomes a place where we can live out our lives in peace, without fear of harm from those who would harm us. I bring this up because by writing someone in prison, you have embarked on a journey that is full of the obligations that go along with social responsibility. In writing someone in prison, you hold the key to the making of a new man or woman.

I don't know why most people write to someone in prison. Are you looking for love, or a friend, or to make a difference in someone's life? I don't know; what I do know is that once you take this step, once you enter the life of someone who is incarcerated, you must make a choice as to what you will offer this person who is at your mercy.

No matter what your goal is in writing to someone who is incarcerated, you should include making a difference in that life. I've mentioned before the power that you have to make a positive change in the life of someone in prison but I wonder, do you know how to do that? Well just in case you don't, I am going to give you some lessons. :) ::sheepish look:: I know, I know, who am I to give you lessons? The only thing that I can tell you is that I have been through it; I know what it is to be damned and to be saved. I would be honored if I could help one of you save one of us. ;p

Here in prison most of us live with little of the things we took for granted in the free world. Things like spices for our foods, adequate cleaning supplies, adequate hygiene items (such as deodorant), adequate space, and many other things. Of course you might say it is the price we pay, and you would be correct. What happens, though, when we have an avenue to get those things, like through the prison black market. I point this out not to talk about the black market, just to tell you that it is difficult for anyone to live here and not go against the rules, to live a life that follows all the rules. This breaking of a few rules can lead to the breaking of more and so on and so forth. This breaking of the rules leads many of my peers to feel that there is no use in trying to become something better. The thing is that it is not everything. So what can you do?

One of the most difficult things for an inmate to do is to realize that he must give of himself before he can gain any ground in life. He must understand that there is more to life than personal gain; there are people who need what he has to offer. You can be instrumental in helping an inmate realize this. To do this you must also make a choice that this is something that you want to do; it is not easy.

Many inmates will talk to you about their lives, tell you how some weak guy got beat up or raped, tell you about how they were in a riot, or how they got into a fight over the TV or some such thing. They will tell you about their lives on the street full of drugs; they will tell you about the anger and hate that they feel. Believe me, our lives are full of darkness. More often than not, we have no goal for the future that we can articulate; and if we can, it is almost a pipe dream and full of self-gain. The reason for that is because we have no direction for our lives. We have no Mission.

...resten kommer i en egen post i morgen.

The heart of the matter

Jeg må innrømme jeg føler meg litt fæl for at det er så stille her nå om dagen. Men det betyr fortsatt ikke at vi har gitt opp verken bloggen eller brevvennene våre. Heldigivs har L ennå mye i tankene, så jeg fikk et nytt innlegg i et brev her på tirsdag, som jeg tenkte å få delt nå.

The heart of the matter

Inmates, as a general rule, do not know hot to have a healthy relationship of any sort. This is especially true when it comes to an intimate one. Often when someone answers an inmate’s web-page, he/she (the inmate) will cling to that person like they were some sort of life support. This can lead to much heartache for both people.

You, out there, must realize that to us in here, the fact that you have responded to our call for … something makes you attractive, beautiful even. In my own opinion, anyone who reaches out to someone incarcerated is beautiful beyond comprehension. Each of you who do this have my respect and my love for always. My peers, though, may not understand how to react appropriately to the fact that you want to reach out in love and friendship.

What this means is that you will have to define the boundaries of the relationship. Do not allow the inmate to define the relationship, most often he/she will not know how. Be up front and do not allow misconceptions about the relationship to fester. I would rather be hurt a little at first than to have my heart broken at some later date. I for one have had my heat broken enough, and I’ve broken more hearts than I have ever wanted to.

Can you see that it almost seems as if you are raising a child when you write an inmate? :) It is almost true. It is a prominent aspect to inmate psychology, we are immature and insecure and don’t know how to function in a polite society. We must have others teach us how to treat them, how to be a friend and how to love. You can liken this to the scene in the movie “Jerry Maguire” when Renée Zellweger was talking to her sister she said something to the effect that she was raising Maguire to the man he could become. That is to true in the scenario of dealing with inmates. Most of us need to grow, and we cannot do it in our own. Most often this will lead to friendships, less often intimacy, and hopefully always something full of joy.

My wish for each of you out there is that you might know peace and happiness. My thanks

Making a difference

Det er en så trist og brutal verden vi lever i, og dette fikk vi så absolutt bevist da "Dennis McGuire ble henrettet med giftsprøyte ved Southern Ohio Correctional Facility i Lucasville i Ohio" for bare et par dager siden, og "hev etter pusten i 15 minutter før han døde" fordi den nye miksturen i giftsprøyta de brukte ikke fungerte "godt nok" (les her). Skrev så vidt om årsaken til den nye miksturen i et innlegg litt tidligere her. Men heldigvis er det da noen deler av verden som ennå er fine; nytt brev fra L på torsdag, og han hadde igjen med et innlegg jeg kunne dele her.

Making a difference

So, you’ve decided that you want to write someone who is incarcerated. You might have already found someone that you want to write or you’ve decided what you are looking for in someone that you want to write. The next question to ask yourself is what you want to accomplish in that persons’ life. Do you want to be a friend, an inspiration, a mentor, the list goes on and on. It is something that you don’t have to set in concrete as it can change and develop as your relationship with an inmate progresses.

The key to developing anything more than a superficial acquaintance with an inmate is persistence and consistency. The reason is that most inmates are not familiar with relationships that do not involve family, sex, or money. The idea that someone might be interested in them or their welfare without wanting or giving something material in return is foreign to them. There is normally a wall around the heart of an inmate that can be difficult to overcome. This is where your persistence and consistency come into play. Because when things get dicey or feelings come into the picture, an inmate may try to push away from that; it is a scary place for him or her. This is an almost instinctive response, but if you push right back, being firm in your ideals and commitment to them, then something real and positive can blossom. I’ll give you an example:

D—found I—on an inmate site. They wrote for about 2 months before I— asks D— for some money. D— writes and tells I— that no money will be sent but that he would like to be I—‘s friend. I— writes an ugly letter and tells D— that there will be no more letters. 

D— writes back to I— and tells I— that he believes that they could be good friends if I— understands and respects D—‘s boundaries. D— tells I— that he is looking forward to hearing from him. 

I— does not respond. 

D— keeps writing I— and telling I— about what is going on in his life and expressing an interest in I—‘s life. This goes on for about 3 months. 

I— finally responds to D--. 

From this point on I— begins to develop an understanding that he can be valued for himself and value others not for some gain or expectation but just because they care for each other. This could be a turning point in an inmate’s life, the point where healthy relationships begin. And it did not cost more than an hour and a stamp every couple of weeks, well and a heart that truly cares.

The above was a story told to me by another inmate. It was a neat story to hear him tell it. He tried to put a cool spin on it, about how he gave in to this person even though he would not send him any money, like he was doing him a favour. I could tell, though, that he valued his friendship with D--. It was a place where I— didn’t have to wear a mask or hide behind some expected mentality. I—‘s life had changed, and he didn’t even realize it. I did, and I thanked God that this person I didn’t even know showed such caring in his consistency and persistence.

In this way is the world changed, one life at a time.

Of Scams and Such

I dag fikk jeg et nytt brev fra L, som jeg allerede har lagt ut noen ord fra, her på bloggen. Denne gangen lå det med et innlegg hvor han skriver om hva en burde være obs på når det kommer til det å skrive til noen i fengsel.

Of Scams and Such

I wrote in my last blog that it is an honourable thing to write people that are in prison. I truly believe this. You in the “free world” have the key to helping people in here find their way to being good people. However this does not mean that your good-heartedness will not be abused by the unscrupulous. I am a prisoner and it may be against the “prison code” to say so, but I would say that most prisoners would use someone badly if given the chance. This is not to discourage anyone from reaching out. I just want each of you to go in without blinders. With that in mind, I am going to tell you about some of the more common prison scams.

You are writing “John”, he tells you that he needs some money to pay so and so or they are going to hurt him. He is even willing to get so and so on the phone or to write to you (maybe, maybe not). This is a classic scam. If someone is in danger, the unit should be notified. Two reasons, if it is true, then a payment of money will only delay the inevitable or it will have to be paid again. If it is false, then this person is not your friend and should be reported.

You are writing “Phillip” and he says he needs funds for a class that he wants to take. He asks that you send him the money as they must take it out of his inmate account in order to pay for it. If you want to help someone in this way, I am all for it. But play it safe, find out where the person will be attending school. Call the unit and ask about the classes that cost funds and pay them to the school itself. Tell the person that you will “not” send the money directly to him. If he wants you to pay for the class then you will pay the school. Do not ever send anyone money like this.

You are writing “Daniel” and he asks you to send him some stationery (envelopes and paper and stuff like that). More than he could use to write to you in two years. Stationery is a commodity in here and can be sold in the prison black market for money. I would recommend that if you did send someone stationery, send what he would need to write to you for a few months.

These are few of the scams that inmates might use or something very similar. The thing is that it is noble to want to help someone. It should not be discouraged. However, each of you should understand that we, as prisoners, must be protected from ourselves at times. The best way to do that is to insure that you, our prospective victims, are educated.

My advice to any of you is this: If an inmate asks you or anything that will involve money, say no. It should be you who offer these things. But if you are interested in helping an inmate financially, ask questions investigate. Don’t take an inmate’s word for it.

Peace

The Truth

I forrige brevet mitt til L, spurte jeg ham om han hadde noen ord han ville jeg skulle poste på bloggen. Og det hadde han – er visst bare å forvente seg flere også – så jeg tenkte jeg kunne dele dem nå. Dette er virkelig et av de hyggeligste menneskene jeg har skrevet med. Så åpen, så ærlig… Jeg har egentlig ikke ord for alle tankene og følelsene jeg satt med da jeg leste meg gjennom de elleve sidene med tanker, meninger og forklaringer i går.

The Truth

I am writing this post at the request of my friend [Monika] who runs this blog. She felt that I might have some insight to offer that could inspire you to want to write to people like me. I don’t know about that; I just want to do things to make the world better. I believe that people like my friend can make things like this happen. A vision of something better and the will to take the first step is all it takes. She has this in spades. I feel privileged to be here at the beginning.

So you’re thinking of maybe writing to someone behind bars? I wanted to talk to you a little bit about what it entails to write someone who is locked up, tell you some about the joys and the pains, maybe give you some helpful advice. It’s the least I can do to repay the fact that I have found such a good friend myself here. Might take me a few posts though.

You should write to prisoners. The reason I say this is because I believe that each of you have something positive to offer these men and women behind bars. Your words of support and encouragement could be the ones that show them they do have worth. The fact is that most prisoners feel that you all in the free world couldn’t care less what happens to them. Knowing that maybe this is not totally true would be a balm over their own wounds. I know, difficult to believe that the people who do so much harm in our world could also have a wounded heart. It’s true though.

So what should you know before writing someone who is in prison? Good question! If you go to a web-site that has prisoner addresses, you will get a first impression of the person you will write. Most people write someone who is physically pleasing to them, however, if you look a little harder, you might find someone who can offer you more than you thought. You should not go in looking for something specific. Just look over all the pages and see what strikes you as the most interesting or intriguing. Most web-pages show that prisoners “are looking for love”. That is not bad in and of itself, you just need to know that. You can be selective, there are thousands of these pages on several different sites. If you want love, be sure you look close to your home; it’s easier that way. If you want friendship, be even pickier.

Always remember that the men and women you are writing are in prison for a reason. They did something that the law felt that they should be separated from society for. Be cognizant of that. My hope is that each of you who writes has a positive contact with an inmate. This bridge that is formed could be the catalyst to a new life for those behind the walls.

I will write again!