One key to thriving

When asked how they survive and then thrive their decades of confinement, prison residents’ answers come down to one word: hope.

Something happens in their lives that gives them hope for the future. When they had none.

One of countless stories involves a resident sentenced to 35 years to life. Presumably a violent gang leader before his incarceration, he had told his family “This is my lifestyle. I will never change. Accept me with my destructive lifestyle. Or forget me.”

Decades into his incarceration, he received a photo that changed everything.

His grandmother was the only family member with whom he felt connected. On her deathbed, his grandmother asked her surrounding family for something to write on. They found a napkin on which she wrote

We love you Steve.

In the photo, we see Steve’s grandmother holding up this paper napkin love note, surrounded with a few family members.

When Steve saw this photo, he realized that he was loved and he did matter. In this, he found hope. And this marked the beginning of his journey of his transformation. Not only did he transform himself, he became a mentor to many people on the prison yard. Several have told me “I owe my life to him. I am who I am today thanks to his support.”

It all started because this tiny moment, this simple photo, provided hope.

So, as you may be struggling through this current challenge, what’s carrying you? What’s giving you hope?

What gives me hope? I truly believe that all of this is happening for our greater good. As we move through this season and come out the other side, we will be stronger, more connected, better. This gives me hope. When I get frustrated and when I find it difficult, I rest in the fact that I grow through this challenge. And this gives me the courage to follow through with what I’m doing.

Invitation: Now it’s your turn. What gives you hope in this season? What can you hold on to? What are you going to do to remind yourself of this when things get tough, frustrating or too much? Plus, how can you help create hope for those around you? Enjoy experimenting.

(As always, all names are changed.)

This is part of a series. I realized that I have a unique perspective into confinement thanks to my past 4.5 years engaging several times a week with the world's leading experts on confinement: prison residents. In April, I provided a daily lesson learned in prison that will hopefully help us to survive and even thrive while confined to our homes. Since then, these lessons have been weekly. Go forward and back to enjoy each daily lesson.