MONDAY NIGHT AT THE PRISON 2-6-2012

Is it harder to avoid temptation inside or outside prison? Harder inside, some said, because of the climate of negativity that exists in an institution. The grumbling, the gossip, the cussing constantly suck you in. “If you can make it in here, you can make it anywhere.”
But others maintained that it is harder outside, because freedom creates its own problems, with the availability of drugs and alcohol.
One man went a little deeper when he said that, inside or out, “solituding it” was the issue. “When things go wrong, I get off to myself and try to feel better with drugs or drinking. Then my relationships, my job, everything gets messed up. But the real problem is that, wherever I am, I don’t stay connected, like I am with you guys. I need this.”
His comments led another man to admit that he had solituded it when he got upset that someone hadn’t cleaned the bathroom. His resentment, building as he cleaned alone, had led to sarcasm, then threats. “I was ready to fight this dude who was a head taller than me and 200 pounds heavier!” He asked the others to forgive him for “bulling around,” and then said how much better he felt in getting it all out.
We closed our usual prayer time by placing those leaving on parole in the center of the circle, with everyone laying hands on them and praying spontaneous words of blessing and hope.
God is good.