christmas in prison

fellow blogger marc olmsted has been helping his friend steven todd publish a blog while steven is incarcerated. the blog is mostly about his life while in prison(for drug related charges) and i'm sure it provides steven with an outlet for expression and a way to help keep him connected to a world outside and one that probably seems so far away.

the truth for me is that i never went to jail. i broke the law consistently while i was using, but i never had to face any legal penalties or was never really caught in the wheel of justice. but steven (and marc for that matter) were snagged by the justice bus, and have been penalized with time away from the world. this is termed by us as rehabilitation, but that is one of the more hollow of terms we use in the u.s. there is mostly survival and very little rehab that goes on these institutions.

i started reading steven's blog in the middle of the year, after i had become acquainted with marc's blog. steven's a good writer, and he is incredibly skilled at including details which add much depth and color in relating the world he inhabits. i encourage you to read his blog. today's entry is especially poignant. i had tagged him with the "7 things I've learned in recovery" meme and he has responded. i think it's portrayal of his daily life is sincerely deep and revealing. i think it's something i will share with the guys in my meth group. many of them are involved in drug court and might appreciate such a reminder of why they are in group in the first place.

i am humbled at the opportunity to share stevens post during a holiday season such as this. it speaks directly to humility and gratitude which are crucial elements to my recovery process. please consider this a holiday greeting card today. and do yourself a favor and read prison's a bitch