Editors note: Just A Guy is an inmate in a California state prison. His blogs run as frequently as he can get them to us from behind bars.
By Just a guy
We try in here to overcome ennui every day. The public seems to have only two ways of thinking about those of us who are incarcerated. One group believes the lie that we have lots of constructive things to do with our time and that we’re all entered into rehabilitation or vocational programs. The other would just as soon see us bored and miserable because we’re supposed to be “punished.”
I try to take an objective view of the situation and try to find a reasonable reprieve from the constant repetition that is prison life, but often find that the conditions are a breeding ground for resentment.
You see, there is no real respite from the monotony that is our daily task. There are things to do – watch tv, listen to the radio, read, exercise, go to church – but for the most part, our lives often seem purposeless and without direction.
One must remember that many people in prison have not come from backgrounds in which they had ideal family lives or had role models or teachers for guidance. When you have been given an empty tool box, try to build a house. Even the best intentions and plans will generally come to naught.
Oh, but for a hammer and a nail