When I came to prison I expected prison. I had watched American History X and Shawshank Redemption like everyone else. For a few years I was that wild 20-something with nothing left to lose. I played the hyper-masculine convict, pretending to be unafraid when I was truly terrified. I wanted to get my body covered in tattoo’s of painful memories, maybe some razor wire, you know…prison shit.

But as we all know time brings the gift of change. With experience comes wisdom and I’ll admit that some pain can break or make us. As my time unfurled and I soul searched for my life’s meaning I began to hope for human connection instead of expecting prison. We could say I stopped looking for prison and began looking for people. Imagine my surprise when I found them, just not in the places I expected.

Just as there is real human beings incarcerated there are real human beings that work in incarceration. The relationships I’ve built with some of them are unexpected and I can’t talk about them, yet. As an inmate I am bound by legalities and behind-the-scenes punishment and retaliation. But when I get out, my oh my the stories I could tell…

I am going to write a memoir about my journey through prison and the relationships that occurred behind these walls. The good and the bad because I’ve had both. There have been people that have touched my life in seriously profound ways. People that stepped out of the confines of prison and listened to their hearts and in doing so changed my life and countless others. This from prisoners, staff, and the community. Unsung heroes. I am going to write about these experiences and more.

What do you think?

With Love