Gratitude in Prison is a Gift

Fall is my favorite time of year. It's been that way for as long as I can remember. There's just something I love about the cool mornings and evenings and the warm days. Perhaps, though, it's also tied to my fond memories of working on a strawberry and vegetable farm as a teenager. Harvest time is an exciting and busy time of year on the farm. 

Something about this year, especially, has stirred up my longings for fall activities. I remember going apple picking with my family, along with hay rides and hot apple cider. I miss those days, for sure! I miss picking out pumpkins with the kids and planting mums in the yard. I even, strangely, miss raking the falling leaves. 

Michigan is a state rich in fresh fruit, but we don't get access to it in prison. In fact, we don't very often get any food that's close to fresh. Apples and bananas are the only "fresh" fruit we get (in about a 10 to 1 ratio), and they are imported from other countries, for the most part. Sometimes the apples aren't bad, but they aren't fresh and juicy like you'd get at a U-Pick 'em spot in a Michigan orchard. 

It's amazing the small things you miss while being in prison!

The prison where I'm currently housed has no gardens for prisoners, like they had in the last two prisons where I've been housed. There is one garden here, but none of the prisoners get to eat the fresh vegetables. We're also not allowed the therapeutic labor of tending the garden. 

This prison is mostly concrete and pavement, but recently I was struck by a couple of blessings we have here that I've not experienced elsewhere in prison. 

We have about a dozen Sandhill Cranes that frequent this prison, lounging around outside the chow hall, mostly. We're not supposed to feed the birds, but many prisoners do, even sometimes right out of their hands. I've never seen a Sandhill Crane this close up. I could literally reach out and touch them at times. It's pretty cool. I never knew these birds were so loud when they want to be! They are pretty magnificent!

We also have a couple (or three?) Red Tailed Hawks that nest around my housing unit. We frequently see them flying over our small yard, or perched up on a post or lamppost around the wall. Although I didn't see it, apparently in the last two weeks other prisoners have seen the adult hawk catch a mouse outside the chow hall and a rabbit outside our unit. These birds are also marvelous creatures. Every time I see them, I'm transported from this place for a brief moment as I wonder at their beauty. Who knew such beauty could be found inside prison? 

I've found over my years in prison that the practice of gratitude, which requires cultivation daily, has a profound impact on my ability to stay positive in such a negative environment. When I see things like these beautiful birds in prison, it's easy to be grateful. I find it doesn't take much to keep my attitude right, if I don't let the small things pass me by without notice. 

I might not be out in the free world right now enjoying fall activities, but I'm extremely grateful for the great memories I have to draw from. What a treasure to cherish! I'm confident, too, that I'll make more good memories again soon. 

Promises, Promises--Prisons and Political Pandering

 When Gretchen Whitmer first ran for Michigan Governor, she touted herself as friendly towards prison reforms. She even selected a Lt. Governor, Gilchrist, as a running mate, in part because of his support for criminal justice and prison reforms. 

Since she was elected, Whitmer has done next to nothing to reform prisons or the criminal justice system. About the only positive thing that has changed is greater funding for the indigent defense fund, which started under Governor Snyder. So much for promises of reforms. 

It's not surprising, or new, that politicians use politically expedient promises to get elected. Yet, it's discouraging and disappointing to know that so many political promises are simply ploys to get elected. 

A recent Republican TV ad attacking V.P. Harris touts her promise to fund sex change operations for prisoners who want gender reassignment surgery. I don't know when Harris made this promise, or even how serious she was about it, but I had to laugh when I saw the ad. 

Michigan prisoners can't even get a Tylenol from prison medical services. I personally know numerous prisoners at my current prison facility who can't get treatment for serious medical conditions, like cancer, serious hernias, heart issues, hip replacement surgeries, hepatitis-C, and debilitating pain. These issues seem significantly more important to me than elective surgeries. 

It might be politically expedient for Harris, or other politicians, to make progressive promises of reform, but the reality is that most political promises are empty. More importantly, though, is that promises like paying for gender reassignment surgery demonstrates a complete lack of touch with the real life and death issues faced by the vast majority of prisoners. 

I have an idea. How about improving the quality of food served to us so we aren't fed food past its expiration date or that not intended for human consumption? Or how about improving health care so serious medical issues are not ignored in order to maximize profits? How about addressing the staff shortages by passing real sentencing and prison reforms?

These are the real issues that politicians need to address, but empty promises that make headlines are more salacious than addressing real needs.