1/17/15
8:30 AM
New Year, New Challenges in Federal Prison
Just over a year has passed since my arrival here at Taft camp, and I’m two-thirds of the way through the first of many challenges associated with incarceration. I have witnessed many men come and go in the constant revolving door that is prison. Some had been incarcerated for 15-20 years. Many arrived after me, but have already left. Seeing men leave is a bittersweet feeling. One side of me is happy for them and the other side is jealous that it’s not me. I have to remind myself that with every person that leaves, I’m one day closer to leaving also. And no doubt the men left behind when that day comes will feel the same.
Christmas has come and gone, and along with it came a new year. Although it was not terrible, I’m grateful it was not only my first but also my last Christmas in here. I have now experienced every holiday from this unique perspective and I admire the strength and fortitude of the men who endure that feeling year after year.
The Christmas spirit is not completely void here at Taft camp. Each dorm is provided with some Christmas lights and an artificial tree. There is even a decorating contest between the four dorms which my dorm won. So, we were all given a soda and some candy. Perhaps the most exciting part of the holiday for most men is the bag of junk food put together by the Bureau of Prisons and given to each inmate. It was rather entertaining to watch a bunch of grown men acting like little kids going through their stockings on Christmas morning.
Visitation is open for every federal holiday, so my mom insisted on coming for Christmas. Even though I told her that only one of us should have to spend Christmas in prison, it was truly nice to get to spend part of the holiday with family. She and Steven made the long trek out here to share Christmas with me and many of the other men and their families.
I have had the last few weeks off from school and will be starting my second and final semester at Taft College in a few days. I completed 16.5 units during my first semester with straight A’s and will be completing another 15.5 this semester. My original goal was to complete my associate of arts degree by the time I left here, but unfortunately I’m going to fall short of that due to the fact that I arrived too late to register for last spring’s semester. However, I will not be far from obtaining this goal and will continue to work towards it after my release.
2015 is the first year of the rest of my life. An opportunity to start fresh and reinvent myself, an opportunity I will not let pass. I have worked hard over the course of the past year to improve myself mentally and physically and I’m ready to overcome any obstacle I may face after my release. After overcoming incarceration nothing can stop me, and I welcome any challenge. So, here’s to a new year and a set of new challenges.
Thank you all for being with me through this journey and rooting me on during my ride to the top.
