Reality Check, Eye-Opener

by ER, Stanislaus Some things in life aren’t always easy to accept. Maybe it’s guilt. You might be ashamed or maybe you don’t want to believe that this is reality. But everybody needs a reality check or an eye-opener. I’m ER, I’m currently in juvenile hall, Stanislaus County. It’s been about a week and I still have seventeen more days until my next court date. Not sure if I’ll even make it out. Hopefully a placement is found for me. That’s the only way I’ll have a chance to make it out.  My poor decisions are making it hard for

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Growing as Time Goes By

by Freddy, San Quentin State Prison, CA When I think about self-care, it’s physical, mental, and spiritual. I have been working on myself right and just growing as time goes by. I have been working out to relieve my built-up stress from my situation.  I have taken care of myself physically. Mentally, I would push it, whatever I am going through, pushing it off because I didn’t want to deal with my problems emotionally because of all I have been through: my childhood and coming into prison at a very young age, not knowing how to honestly deal with all

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The Year I Return

Ken Vernon, San Quentin State Prison, CA I am excited about the New Year. 2024 will be the year I return back to society after twenty-nine years. The world has changed so much.  I will be experiencing things for the first time at fifty-two years old. This year, more than ever, a New Year’s resolution seems to fit in with my life. I am leaving prison a different person, a healed person, a person that can be himself. So my New Year’s resolution is to take in every new experience with the curiosity and openness of that young Kenny of

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