As I have said, doing time in a good way is about growth and avoiding stagnation. Growth occurs in many ways in our lives: physical, educational, and emotional, just to name a few.
To grow as a person, I felt the need to first take stock of myself as a person. I needed to recognize my lacks, my errors, acknowledge my desire and need to correct them, then move beyond the child and person who has failed and who has been an instrument of harm. Taking responsibility, owning my guilt and failures, was, and is, one of the hardest things I have ever done. It could very easily lead to self-hatred unless I, also, am steadfast in believing it possible I can be a better person thus moving beyond being a failure to become an asset to the human race. It is quite necessary to acknowledge the wrong in order to reject it and choose the right. While harsh judgement was easy, it was much more difficult to believe I could ever be of use to humanity.
All of this is not peculiar to the felon but is something we all, as adults, learn to do as part of life. The felon has somehow missed this step and now has to insert it into his life. It is an ongoing and lifelong process that becomes even more important when living among so many who have failed, indeed, continue to fail, at such introspection and decision making.
Above all things, I want to live as my mother and grandmother taught me, to be a good person, and a moral man. This is ongoing and the basis of growth even as I may very live my life in prison.
Take care and be safe, people.
