Today, I held back some serious tears on the steps of the
post office. I should really wait to get
home before I read my mail.
Backstory. Over a
year ago, I stumbled on a Facebook page for a death row inmate. I knew I couldn’t do much to clear his name
(other than sign a petition and pass it on), so I decided to write him. Little did I know that when they executed him
in March, I would actually grieve someone I never met, but definitely
knew.
After his death, I felt compelled. Prison is a world that we don’t really
understand or see. Or really even think
about. It’s an interesting realm for
films, but that’s really as far as we take it.
So I didn’t even know if there was any sort of database that helped
people write letters to those who are incarcerated.
I was wrong. All you
have to do is Google.
I searched and searched through dozens of names to pick out
5 that stood out to me. I was reluctant
on one guy, and only God knows why I was so picky, but I wrote him anyway. Today I got his first response. And it was the most heartfelt response I’ve
had yet. Heartfelt and heart breaking. He’s on death row (that right there told me
this wouldn’t be easy). He lives in solitary
confinement. Has for the past 14
years. He almost mentioned the “hole.” He spent 8 months there for getting caught
with a cell phone.
Oooooo k.
On my ride home, I just felt like I was keeping this to
myself. I love writing letters; I love
mail! So this is something that is
simple for me. Maybe you like mail
too. Give it a try, and write
someone. You might be surprised the kind
of characters you find.
[They ask that you refrain if you are under 18, so I ask
that you honor that if you’re a young’n!]
No comments:
Post a Comment