Today is the first day of the rest of your life. I have heard this saying my entire life.
What I’m I doing Today to prepare for tomorrow. How am I helping those in my orbit.
At this camp there is a cross mixture of cultures, religions, social, economic and
family backgrounds. If we were “on the outside” there would be wars, killings and pretty
much the divisions that make up the world we live in, the world we created. Here it is
different. Don’t get me wrong, there are people you hang and socialize with and people
you avoid. But there are many things that I have experienced that are the opposite of what
you think it would be. One of the first purchases I made at the commissary was a lock for
my locker. We live and sleep in 4 person cubicles. There are no bars or doors and anyone in the
dorm could easily go thru and take your stuff. My bunk mate said to me on the second night I
was here “So I see you wasted money on a lock.” I was a little taken back. He continued
“You don’t need to lock up your stuff, no one will steal or even touch it.” You would think
this would be a major problem in a prison camp, it is not. I have a radio, tablet (iPad) all kinds
of food, sneakers, hygiene products, etc.. all purchased here that I thought needed to be locked up.
As I walked down the dorm corridor no one has a lock and theft is a non issue. On the contrary,
whenever a “new person” arrives people will go out of their way to welcome them, set them up,
show them the ropes and make them feel welcomed. Last night there was a new arrival that was
assigned to my cubical. A young guy 25 years old from Kentucky. Within a few hours his fellow
Kentucky folks dropped off sneakers, food items, toothpaste, etc.. about $50 worth of stuff that
he would normally have to wait a few days to get and pay for out of his own pocket if he even
was able to afford them. Others came to show him around, tell him what is what, what time the
meals are, etc.. I see this happen all the time as this place is a revolving door. When I first arrived
it was no different. People went out of their way for the new guy. It is refreshing and the right thing
to do. Given that we are “all in this together” this makes sense. We share one world, breath
the same air and I will take this lesson with me when I leave here.
This is from the collection of poems I’m writing, its entitled “The Stranger”
I’m a stranger on this Earth, I don’t understand her ways.
I seem to conform and appear normal. I’m not.
It is as if I was not born here but rather left behind.
I’m from another world without jealousy, hatred or complaint.
Without wars or killings or violence.
A place that cures disease for the prosperity of the many,
not for enrichment of the few.
A place without hunger or poverty.
I must be insane to think this way.
I am not of this world.
I wish they would come back and take me away.
