DannyBoyinExile

Many people out there assume that inmates “have nothing BUT time”, and in a way, that’s true. But to a large extent, what separates us is how we make use of that time. The inmates who stay busy by working, taking classes, exercising, or attending religious services tend to do far better here than those who don’t.
It’s commonly understood that “idle hands are the devil’s playground” – and that’s especially true in prison. The inmates who avoid work at a all costs, and decline to participate in any educational programs, are far more likely to get involved in drugs, disputes with staff, and altercations with other inmates. We have to fill our time with SOMETHING – and if it’s not anything positive, it’s bound to be something negative.
I stay so busy that I don’t seem to HAVE as much free time as most of the other guys around here – and that’s not a bad thing. I work every single day, even when I don’t have to. And I walk MILES up and down the hall each day, even if I don’t seem to get very far. At least the exercise is good for me. (And it’s a good thing, since I don’t have the energy for any additional exercise, after working all day!)
I also call my wife at least twice a day – and believe me, that wears me out, too… (just kidding!) Plus I spend some time reading and writing each day. I simply don’t have the free time to sit in the dayroom for hours and hours, watching the same old reruns on TV, or listening to the latest rumors and gossip. I may miss out on who got into the latest fight, who had a toon attack, or who’s the current Wynne’s Dumbest Criminal – but I’m not even interested in all that, except to make sure that it isn’t ME!
Every day, my wife asks me, “What did you do today?” By doing that, she’s holding me accountable for not just wasting time around here – and my answer BETTER be more detailed than just “nothing”.
If any of you have loved ones in prison, you should follow my wife’s example. Ask them what they’ve done, and accomplished, each day. Make them explain to you how they’re utilizing their time, and encourage them to make better use of it. Just about all of us are eligible to have some sort of job, and if we can get over our laziness in here, we might not be as lazy when we get out.
There are also any number of classes we can take – as well as a library on each unit, where we can read and study on our own. Not to mention the edovo app on the tablet, that I’ve mentioned before. Encourage them to take advantage of it – and you can see for yourself (online) what they’ve been up to.
The worst thing we can do as inmates is to stagnate. Because once we stop growing, we start declining – and that’s the last thing we should do. I haven’t always known the value of daring to read, think, speak, and write. But I do now – and I’m a much better person because of it. So says DannyBoy.