Craig learned two days ago that his girlfriend, a woman who
has stayed by him throughout the first seven years of his twelve year sentence,
has breast cancer. It is an aggressive
form and, though not yet in her lymph glands, requires her to undergo a double
mastectomy this week. Craig feels
helpless. He can’t be there for
her. All he can do is listen on the
phone, offer as much love and support as you can when you’re separated by 400
miles and barbed wire fences. And, he
must maintain. He can’t show weakness;
he can’t show emotion. He has to act
like he’s holding it together. All the
while, his mind races, his emotions churn and he feels helpless.
This is a terrible environment, a dehumanizing environment
an unjust an unmerciful environment in so many ways. It is even worse when you are here and those
who love you, who need you, are outside.
You are alone with your thoughts and the feelings of helplessness and
despair can be insurmountable.
I wish you could see what I see in here. For the vast majority of those incarcerated
are not “bad people”. They are people
who simply made a mistake. And some
mistakes are worse than others. Yet, in
God’s eyes we all fall short. My eyes
have been opened so many times in here as I’ve watched men grieve, love,
suffer, battle. There is humanity behind
these walls. And, just like the real
world, there is good and evil doing battle daily.
Humanity.
Justice. Mercy. Compassion.
We throw those words around so much yet think so little about what they
truly mean, what is required of all of us to live according to those
principles.
Craig and Tammy are in my prayers. I ask that they be in yours as well. And pray for the prisoners, all of them. Pray for a better way, for real justice, real
mercy, real compassion.
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