Many of us struggle here in prison. We walk to chow line with a chip on our shoulder, an internal struggle because we are here.
Anger, depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness, all hidden inside.
It’s understandable, our lives are on hold. Everything and everyone we love is out there moving on, moving forward, growing older, kids growing up without us, friends forgetting us, and the world changing while we are stuck chained to the routine that is set for us and denied the love and affection that every human needs to be happy and healthy.
We are only allowed a ten second hug at the start and finish of a visit from family and friends, that is if we are lucky enough to get visits in the first place.
Many of us are completely alone and fighting an internal dialogue of sadness. This is often why we are divided. Some of us deflect our feelings of self-loathing on the people around us, furthering the loneliness and other suffer in silent anger for themselves.
Some of us have worked out our internal demons and are able to process our negative emotions while others have a long way to go.
Something all of us are capable of, however, is kindness. Showing kindness can be as simple as telling someone to have a nice day or smiling at somebody you pass in the hallway. A smile can change someone’s day. I know this because I’ve seen it at work and I’ve felt it work. I’ve been having a crap day, been sad, or angry and had a perfect stranger say “enjoy the sunshine” and give a genuine smile making me feel acknowledged and my thoughts redirected to sunshine and smiles.
We are all capable of redirecting our thoughts, and with a little practice can change how we react and change our way of thinking. I know that everyone can relate to being annoyed by someone else, it happens all the time here.
I want to challenge you to redirect your feelings next time this happens. Instead of feeling dislike for that person, I want you to try to feel love for them. Think of them as a little brother or sister who bugs you but who you love and the annoyance is only temporary and on the surface. Because really, whatever someone says or does that might irritate you is only temporary and superficial. If whatever is bothering you isn’t something that will still be bothering you next week, why let it bother you now? Don’t let minor irritations get to you and affect how you feel and react to others. Instead be kind and have compassion for your brother or sisters because we are all here together and we need to make the best of it. Be kind. | RRT