Independence Day Behind Bars

Holiday weekends are always difficult in prison. Yeah, we have activities to keep us busy and help take our minds off of the free world, but these do little to stem the feeling of isolation. I should be spending time with my family. I shouldn't be tossing horseshoes or playing bingo with hundreds of other men. I should be playing cornhole, barbequing brats and hamburgers, and watching fireworks with my family and friends. Daily I hear other men talk about 'the last time' they were in prison, and how it's so much worse today than it used to be. I can't for the life of me imagine what would compel someone to do anything that would return them to these circumstances! Nothing is worth losing everything that prison costs you.
I'm grateful for the sacrifices our soldiers make to keep our nation safe, but it's hard to celebrate freedom from behind bars.