Convict chronicles: Epiphany

CONVICT CHRONICLES: epiphany by Leo Cardez (pen name) Prison handcuffs our soul. Captivity is one of the most powerful forces on the planet. The thief of change, the rapist of ambition, the murderer of a new idea. None of us warehousees can pretend we're not affected. Yet every day we have the choice to decide how much influence our imprisonment deserves. I've wasted a decade allowing my incarceration to dictate my decisions. I had to choose to leave traditional thinking behind. I wouldn't care what the World had to say about me. Instead of cowering behind labels like convict and felon — seeking to dehumanize me or worrying about challenges, I would simply make the life I wanted. It alone is a statement of defiance to the 1/2 prison industrial complex. So, since that epiphany, my heartrate has been my guide. Fast is good; slow is bad. I figure if something excites me tremendously like shining a light in the human warehouses scattered on the fringes of society and giving the marginalized a voice, then it's a worthwhile pursuit. If not, then not. I'm like a dog off his leash when I escape the bars of firing neurons that confined my mind and pursue my life's purpose. And the funny thing about it is that the most successful inmates are more revered, awarded, and victorious in life precisely because they did not caution their way and temper their enthusiasm. The concrete jungle's sole purpose is to kill the individual, therefore, a prisoner of any form should never compromise--settling for anything less than their full potential. If you agree, consider what change you can make today. Fighting a beast hellbent on consuming hopes and dreams is not the most expected path one could take, and it certainly won't be the easiest, but a little pain can be a good thing. Freedom can be found through pain. -L. C.- 2/2 CONVICT CHRONICLES: living on the fringes of society by Leo Cardez [illustration]