Social Contracts:
Reading this section of the program, is a particular place where I am at in my life. After spending over 31 years in prison I have acknowledge what I have done. I am waiting for an answer for my compassionate release, but I am still working on myself. The University of Wisconsin’s Restorative Justice program has allowed me a space in which I have wrote an apology letter and reflect on my poor decisions that I made in 1993 when I was 18 years old. Taken responsibility for my actions has also showed me that I had been on a destructive path. I have had a moment when I realized that I am not the only one suffering with this sentence. I realized that my mother and grandmother were also doing this sentence with me. My bad actions caused a ripple effect of pain from the people who I robbed of their cars and money to my family who supported me. I became aware of my actions. Reading books like Gary Chapman, The Five Languages of Love. This was an eye opener, because I really did not know what love was or meant. I did not know what the difference between a friend and a homie. This program has helped out a lot, even though I have not been writing any book reports. but over this 31 years I have read a plethora of books from James Patterson, John Grisham, Michael Crichton, David Baldacci, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Lee Childs, Jeffery Deaver, Nelson DeMille, H.G. Wells, Anne Rice to J.R.R. Tolkien. Most of these authors were my favorite to read especially when I was in my destructive space, because I was going back and forth to SHU (Special Housing Unit). I have read some Urban Novels but there was something missing about reading them. But I can tell you that when I read The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas I found a connection. I related to Dante. I wanted to better myself. Become a refined and learned man. I wanted to learn more so I started reading about history of civilizations and biographies/autobiographies. Through learning I became more empathetic, I care now! Being young and impulsive, not knowing nothing past my nose. Now I am able to see other perspectives other than my own. Education has helped me to become a better person! This prison experience has been like a residency towards attaining a doctorates in the field of psychology. This combination has allowed me to understand human nature. I have a saying that I say a lot that the body never lies, but the mouth do! I have taken the opportunity live life differently by doing time and not letting time to do me. I could be in here bitter and hateful. I could be in here using drugs and drinking fermented tomatoes, rice and potatoes, whatever the choice of supplies that was stolen to make a batch of penitentiary spirits. Fyodor Dostoevsky has even opened up my eyes about my surroundings. But I embraced the challenges! I may know how unfair the system is, but how can I overcome anything if I cannot even get out of my own way. I am checking my own boxes through my own self reflection.
