Being A Mother In Prison by Felicia

When you’re a mother, fear is the job description.

As a mother you learn about fear in ways like never before. You’re always afraid–always. About everything from the kids falling out of bed, getting hit by a car, kidnappers, to the weather. There is nothing that can’t hurt our kids. But the last thing that would cross your mind is the fear of you hurting your children. Never in a million years did I think that I’d be the one to break their hearts. The same hearts that I worked so hard to protect. To make a mistake, one bad decision, that landed me in prison for 17 years. Those 17 years take me away from the most critical times in their lives, when they will and have needed me the most.

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The Incarcerated & Higher Education by Christopher

I have a friend who is serving a life sentence in the state of Michigan. Her case is one of tragedy, and her punishment is severe, but she doesn’t spend her time in self-defeating thoughts or thinking of what might have been. Instead, she focuses on her future. She spends her days going to college since at her prison there’s two local community colleges offering bachelor degrees in various disciplines. In her case it’s business management. This is what she has been studying and working toward for several years.

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We’re Gonna Ride Again

Today, 6 June 2022, my brother John will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. It will be a big affair, and I wish I could be there.
John is my younger brother, twin to his brother Jim. Though John’s younger than me, he loomed larger than life. He led a distinguished military career achieving the rank of colonel and was on the front line of our nation’s cyber ops. If anyone knew the true depth of the threats we face from adversaries it was him.

       
I looked up to John and I learned some of life’s most valuable lessons from him. He taught me forgiveness through his example, and I lived life vicariously through him from behind these walls. He was always happy to run with me no matter what hair brained journey I took us on. He believed in me when I didn’t, and always helped me when I couldn’t help myself. He took my sadness and unselfishly lifted me until I could smile and believe in a future again.

         
Today I salute you brother. You did well and I am proud of the life you lived. You’ve given me the strength I need to grab ahold of the future and make it my own. Every memory I have of you is fond and I am thankful god gave us the time we had. There’s a song by Brantley Gilbert called “We’re Gonna Ride Again” and brother it’s true. We’re gonna ride again and I need you to hold things down until then. In the mean time I’ll finish what we started.

I Love You Bro’,
Christopher