This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24
Today I turned forty-eight years old...
Psalm 118:24
Today I turned forty-eight years old...
I thank the Lord for His mercy and for bringing me along this far in life. Birthdays are peculiar in prison. Virtually no one celebrates theirs.
Only a few of my closest friends from my church knew about my birthday. I didn't tell anyone, and I did not want anyone fussing over me. However, I did get a lot of cards from Christians on the outside, and from my dad. I'm grateful for their expressions of love.
In prison, oddly, almost no one tells others when they're having a birthday. I hardly recall any inmate ever celebrating this event. The men who do mention their birthday only do so in a simple and casual way. No one expects any presents from the other prisoners, although gifts are occasionally given out.
There have been times when, if I found out that an inmate who is very poor and who has no one on the outside is having a birthday, I will give him a gift. It may be a deodorant, or a shirt that I don't need. I've given out some food items like a bag of potato chips or some candy bars. I've seen other inmates do the same for the poorer men. And when another inmate does give one of his fellow prisoner's a gift, it is done ever so simply and quietly, with no fanfare at all. Usually, a man will be handed an item, and the giver, after saying "Happy birthday, " will quickly walk away.
These are just some of the oddities of prison life. There are no birthday celebrations, no fancy gift giving. For most of us, our birthday is just another day to go through.
D.B.
Only a few of my closest friends from my church knew about my birthday. I didn't tell anyone, and I did not want anyone fussing over me. However, I did get a lot of cards from Christians on the outside, and from my dad. I'm grateful for their expressions of love.
In prison, oddly, almost no one tells others when they're having a birthday. I hardly recall any inmate ever celebrating this event. The men who do mention their birthday only do so in a simple and casual way. No one expects any presents from the other prisoners, although gifts are occasionally given out.
There have been times when, if I found out that an inmate who is very poor and who has no one on the outside is having a birthday, I will give him a gift. It may be a deodorant, or a shirt that I don't need. I've given out some food items like a bag of potato chips or some candy bars. I've seen other inmates do the same for the poorer men. And when another inmate does give one of his fellow prisoner's a gift, it is done ever so simply and quietly, with no fanfare at all. Usually, a man will be handed an item, and the giver, after saying "Happy birthday, " will quickly walk away.
These are just some of the oddities of prison life. There are no birthday celebrations, no fancy gift giving. For most of us, our birthday is just another day to go through.
D.B.