“God places the lonely in families; He sets the prisoners free and gives them joy…”
Psalm 68:6a NLT
Prisoners are a people who probably spend more time reflecting on their lives than do a majority of those who are free to move about in society…
Psalm 68:6a NLT
Prisoners are a people who probably spend more time reflecting on their lives than do a majority of those who are free to move about in society…
Obviously, those who have few if any physical restrictions, have far less time to spend on their thoughts. Whereas those who are living in confinement, like myself, often feel that our lives are at a standstill.
Having come to prison some 49 years ago, a portion of my mind is still locked in 1977-78. And it has not been easy to keep up with the changes in society. Nor with the changes within my family, whom I am presently estranged from. I miss them dearly.
It seems surreal. Unfortunately, most of them have long since passed away, and only a few remain. I can only hope they're doing well. They will always be in my thoughts and prayers, forever.
But speaking for myself, one of the most painful aspects to incarceration is being physically separated from your loved ones. Being an observant person, I can see the grief and pain that's etched in the faces of my fellow cons. There's no hiding it, and I cannot hide it either.
As I have shared in several past journal entries and in letters to friends on the outside, I have known many a convict who has shed many a tear while alone in his cell. I have shed tears as well. Lots of them!
Loneliness, sorrow, remorse, and regret are emotions that make up the inner life of those like myself, who are doing prison time. It's a secret that only the incarcerated know. And it's a secret that I wish I never had to experience.
While on a positive note, I'm in a good family now. It's the "family of faith." which one can become a part of when he or she has accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. God has a family to welcome us into. And He's waiting with open arms for all who want to come in.
D.B.
Having come to prison some 49 years ago, a portion of my mind is still locked in 1977-78. And it has not been easy to keep up with the changes in society. Nor with the changes within my family, whom I am presently estranged from. I miss them dearly.
It seems surreal. Unfortunately, most of them have long since passed away, and only a few remain. I can only hope they're doing well. They will always be in my thoughts and prayers, forever.
But speaking for myself, one of the most painful aspects to incarceration is being physically separated from your loved ones. Being an observant person, I can see the grief and pain that's etched in the faces of my fellow cons. There's no hiding it, and I cannot hide it either.
As I have shared in several past journal entries and in letters to friends on the outside, I have known many a convict who has shed many a tear while alone in his cell. I have shed tears as well. Lots of them!
Loneliness, sorrow, remorse, and regret are emotions that make up the inner life of those like myself, who are doing prison time. It's a secret that only the incarcerated know. And it's a secret that I wish I never had to experience.
While on a positive note, I'm in a good family now. It's the "family of faith." which one can become a part of when he or she has accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. God has a family to welcome us into. And He's waiting with open arms for all who want to come in.
D.B.