I try to be kind, understanding. loving, and helpful to all though the environment I am now in often sees emotions and actions as a sign of weakness. I believe this exhibits the exact opposite, a sign of strength in the face of the cruelty of the penal system. This certainly is reinforced when I look at nature and how it seeks to find a foothold no matter the environment, from a mouse in a concrete prison cell to the wild flowers that dot our prison yard. If life can simply be no matter the landscape it finds itself in then why can’t I be myself, be the man I want to be, what I endeavor to be with every fiber of my being? If nature knows no other way than to survive and be itself, why shouldn’t I do the same? Am I not a part of this greater force, after all? -Light, a CLF member incarcerated in SC
What are lessons you take from the tenacity of nature?
This is so inspiring to me. I have been thinking about how I want to be loving because I believe love is the true nature of every being, but I have trouble living this way in a world where things can feel threatening and our culture is often counter to that. I want to thank Light for his bravery in choosing to live his truth no matter what circumstances he is in and for sharing this wisdom with us.