Many prisoners I meet struggle with their separation from family. When they hear that my marriage to Carole took place in a prison visiting room longer than seven years ago, some ask how we keep our love alive without physical intimacy. The answer to me is simple, and it would be the same answer even [...]
Last Sunday I enjoyed a four-hour visit with my friend Dr. Sam Torres. It’s a privilege for me to have friendships with societal leaders like Dr. Torres, and it’s one that I value. During our visit, however, Dr. Torres cautioned my optimistic expectations for release. That sobered me, and although his admonitions come from a [...]
What is the secret for nurturing a loving marriage through a long prison sentence? That question challenges me every day. In 2002, I was blessed with Carole’s love. She has been the most magnificent wife, enriching my life in every way. Through her I’ve enjoyed the illusion of freedom because she has walked through so [...]
Rolando has been serving time with me in Taft Camp for the past two years. He’s in his mid-thirties and I understand that he expects to serve four more years. Today he asked me to help him write a letter to his wife, and it was a difficult letter to write. Rolando had a visit [...]
When considering all the holidays we celebrate each year, I’m aware of the special meaning that Valentine’s Day has for me. Certainly, Valentine’s Day is the holiday I look forward to most. This day of romance intensifies my feeling of good fortune at having Carole’s love in my life. Although I’ve known Carole since 1975, [...]
Before sleeping each night I read at least one passage from the Bible. I’m not deeply religious as most people would measure that term–I don’t attend worshipping services or participate in prayer groups. By reading passages of the Bible every night, and thanking God for the blessings bestowed upon my family, I strengthen my spirit. [...]
Seven years ago today I was enjoying my first week of visiting with Carole. She was living in Oregon, then, and I was in Fort Dix, New Jersey. We had been corresponding for months, but on 17 October 2002, she came to visit me for the first time. During the years that we’ve passed together [...]
On 1 October 1988, 21 years ago today, I began to exercise regularly. I exercised regularly during the previous year, but I was locked in jails and only able to exercise in my cell with pushups. By the time I transferred to the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta, I was fit and ready to commit to [...]
I’m very grateful for the privilege of being able to run every morning. This morning I ran 10 miles, boosting my consecutive running to 283 days and accumulating a tally of 2,513 miles during that time. I haven’t taken a day off from running since December 12, 2008, and as I ran my loops around [...]
I began writing this morning with hopes of finishing a draft of chapter eleven. The chapter goes on. I began writing at 1:49, and I wrote through page 521. Yet the characters at Lompoc camp who played a role in disrupting my life require more space to develop. This chapter may stretch for 15,000 words. [...]
