Giving Thanks From Federal Prison

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone, and now I await my first (and only, thank God) Christmas in prison. Despite the fact I was away from family and friends for Thanksgiving, it was far less depressing than I anticipated. Thanksgiving is however a bit different when in prison. I think it was the first time in my life that I was able to slow down and actually give thanks for the simple things in life which nobody can take away from me.

The long “holiday” weekend starts on Wednesday afternoon with the staff passing out concha bread. Why in the world they would give out Mexican bread for Thanksgiving, I know not. On Wednesday night while the rest of the world is getting ready for the following day’s feast or out getting drunk, we are provided a PG-13 movie. Despite the fact we are all grown men, for some reason we are not allowed to watch rated R movies… Anyhow, Thanksgiving Day started pretty much the same as every other day except that I actually went down to the chow hall for breakfast (which normally I do not). I heard it was going to be a “special” holiday breakfast so I thought I’d give it a try. Turns out it was a Starbucks’ Danish. Apparently Starbucks was generous enough to donate some expired or near expired Danishes to us as a tax write off. At any rate that damn Danish tasted better than any I ever ate while working there! It is amazing how something that at one point in life was not really good at all can turn into something so delicious simply because you have been eating the same crap for the last 11 months.

After eating breakfast I started my day like almost any other one and headed out to the yard to workout. I hopped on one of the three stationary bikes and rode for an hour as I watched the sunrise and took time to reflect and give thanks for everything I do have even though I’m in prison. After riding the bike I got a quick hour workout in with the guys before heading back to the dorm. After showering (with hot water, another thing we do not always have), I decided to try and treat Thanksgiving like any other Thanksgiving on the outside by watching football of course. I have been so busy with school and preparing myself for the next chapter of my life outside of prison that it felt great to relax and take a break as if I were at home.

Now I know you’re all wondering what Thanksgiving meal is like here. Well, although it is not your normal American, all-you-can-eat-until-you-pass-out meal, it is somewhat similar when it comes to what is served. The meal comes with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, yams, and even pecan pie. They were even nice enough to prepare a vegetarian meal for the few of us who are here. By no means was it anywhere close to as good as my past Thanksgiving meals; however, it was probably the best meal I’ve had at chow hall yet. When exiting the chow hall, everyone was given a sack dinner with all the fixings to make a fabulous bologna sandwich. As with all big holidays (including Super Bowl), the chow has is closed for dinner in order to give as many of the prison’s employees the night off. I took the only think worth saving—the cookies of course—out of the bag and gave the rest away. Although not as extravagant as what I’m sure may of you had for dinner, I made myself an amazing sandwich with avocado, hummus, tomato, onion, and pickled peppers on wheat bread. To cap off the exciting day, we wrapped it up with another PG-13 movie, The Giver, which actually was pretty good.

To close I would like to share with you a few things I found to be grateful for despite my current circumstances.

1. First and foremost my health.
2. The wonderful network of friends and family supporting me throughout this experience.
3. The fact that I have been able to learn so much during my short time here.
4. In prison, I have found many things to be grateful for that I once took for granted such as hot water for a shower or even not having to wait in line for the bathroom.
5. Last but not least, I’m grateful that that was the only Thanksgiving I will ever spend in prison!

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