RPinSD
09-11-2005, 05:42 PM
Hi all
I wanted to wait till I was under 30 days to post here. And in 29 days I will be parked in front of Chino Prison to welcome my partner to the outside world.
18 months ago I never would have thought I could have done this. At first it was nothing but tears, fear and about a 1000 questions. I must have cried myself to sleep for a month and truly just floated around life lost and without purpose. But I soon discovered that to get through this tough time, I would have to dedicate myself to something and to someone. I would be of no assistance to anyone If I just drowned myself in sorrow and booze.
I realized I needed to be twice as strong as my partner as his situation had been prescribed. My situation had to bring him hope and strength to a place that offered him neither. This was no time to be selfish and self serving, the answer was knowledge.
I then found PTO and discovered I wasn't alone, my idea of dedication wasn't an original one. Here was 1000s of people that all had the same idea. "Strength through knowledege, power through support". I had found a family for which to share this very simple idea. I myself took on the challenge to assist those with loved ones in prison by creating the CA CDCR handbook for family and friends of inmates. With nearly 10,000 hits in the 10 months it's been up I am proud of my accomplishment. More so though I'm just very thankful to all the people that have shared with me and I have shared with them. Cause in the end I realize that I couldn't have done any of this without all you great people that can really show the world that through adversity, when we come together we can create a kind and caring place.
I know with my home coming in 29 days and the celebration that follows. Many of you will not have that for a time to come and possibly never. But I will walk away from this experience of prison with the broader knowledge of how it affects so many people and because I now understand all the pain and loss that comes with losing a loved one to prison, It's not so easy to ignore anymore.
Thank you my friends as the countdown begins.
Richard
I wanted to wait till I was under 30 days to post here. And in 29 days I will be parked in front of Chino Prison to welcome my partner to the outside world.
18 months ago I never would have thought I could have done this. At first it was nothing but tears, fear and about a 1000 questions. I must have cried myself to sleep for a month and truly just floated around life lost and without purpose. But I soon discovered that to get through this tough time, I would have to dedicate myself to something and to someone. I would be of no assistance to anyone If I just drowned myself in sorrow and booze.
I realized I needed to be twice as strong as my partner as his situation had been prescribed. My situation had to bring him hope and strength to a place that offered him neither. This was no time to be selfish and self serving, the answer was knowledge.
I then found PTO and discovered I wasn't alone, my idea of dedication wasn't an original one. Here was 1000s of people that all had the same idea. "Strength through knowledege, power through support". I had found a family for which to share this very simple idea. I myself took on the challenge to assist those with loved ones in prison by creating the CA CDCR handbook for family and friends of inmates. With nearly 10,000 hits in the 10 months it's been up I am proud of my accomplishment. More so though I'm just very thankful to all the people that have shared with me and I have shared with them. Cause in the end I realize that I couldn't have done any of this without all you great people that can really show the world that through adversity, when we come together we can create a kind and caring place.
I know with my home coming in 29 days and the celebration that follows. Many of you will not have that for a time to come and possibly never. But I will walk away from this experience of prison with the broader knowledge of how it affects so many people and because I now understand all the pain and loss that comes with losing a loved one to prison, It's not so easy to ignore anymore.
Thank you my friends as the countdown begins.
Richard