CROSSROADS

 

She lived a parallel life to mine. Same favorite TV shows as a kid. She saw the Beatles in concert LIVE. She met John F. Kennedy. She graduated from high school the same year as me. The National Guard entered her college campus in May of 1970. She married.  She joined a religious cult, and then our worlds diverged greatly and hers with utter devastation and destruction. 

 

She is in prison for life with little chance for parole. She is also in my ARTS AND LETTERS SOCIETY BOOK CLUB and a grad of my LADIES OF SUCCESS manners class at the Ohio Reformatory for Women (the posted note and quote are not hers).

 

She was so moved by what we have read so far in Royal Roots that her usual “book club leadership” role took a knee today. She was teary and subdued. She was coming to terms, and understanding more of her life through mine. She saw my struggles. She understood she was not alone in hers. 

 

ROYAL ROOTS is working its magic at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. It is the result of a true book team of people who helped instill it with the proper components to uplift and inspire.

 

She will rise again from her sad reverie but first, she knows she needs to process all. Reflection is a form of rehabilitation. 

 

I wore an Easter outfit today because I wanted the women, in uniforms, to have a little normalcy and holiday colors. When Capt. Stevie and I crossed the yard at the prison today to our classroom various women stopped me to look at my outfit. It made them smile.

 

One woman wrote on her reflection paper in class that when we arrive, “It’s like seeing an old friend.” Another book club attendee wrote, “We all have a story and we are more alike than not.”

 

Nine of our book club group are military veterans from five branches of service.