I am destined for greatness

I AM DESTINED FOR GREATNESS That is a bold statement coming from a 37 years old African American man who is serving a life without parole sentence, little education above a General Equivalency Dipolma and minimal support from family or the outside community. Yes, that is a bold statement yet one I do not retract. Do I have your attention? You see, I consider myself a late developer sort of like wine: the longer the time the Finer the wine; Growing up I'm sure I squandered an opportunity or two or even three and there can be various reasons why this was so, however, this prose is about my pending success not my past failures. Coming to prison at the age of twenty-two saved my life. Who in their right mind would say such a thing? You must understand that one of my best Friends was stabbed to death before turning seventeen and my other was shot to death on his birthday because of mistaken idenity. This does’nt even account for the numerous associates I've lost in one way or another before they could see the age of twenty -five. when the clock struck twelve on Y2K I was in a prison cell, lying in a cold hard steel bunk, yet the moment was bitter sweet, ”DAMN! I really made it...". For as long as I can remember I was a protector of those to weak to protect themselves and this had me in many physical altercations growing up. This didn't change when I came to prison. The difference now is that my standing up for the weak against prison officials who felt it was their right to oppress us landed me in solitary confinement where I stayed for thirteen consecutive years. If they only knew then what they know now they would have allowed me to stay in general population. why,do you ask. Well because they created a monster! They assumed that solitary confinement would break my will and spirit as it's done to so many people before and will do to more people who come after me. What they didn't anticapate is that after my pity party I would man up and began to apply myself. I awoke one day to realize that ba.thi'ng myself i'n melancholy may have felt good ( why it did I have no idea) but i't would‘nt bring about any change and besides I never lil