I received your letter the other day. I did not however get a chance to get on this site until now 10/6/15. I will be sending you a letter, but wanted to post something on here too.
I actually do write a few inmates from the prison in Florida that I worked at. One of them asked me if I was sure that I had not ever been in prison because he was so surprised that I completely understood the "no mail blues". If I go to the ministry PO Box and there is nothing from "my guys" it hurts. I get concerned and honestly sad too.
What I can tell you from the outside is that it is a real roller coaster ride. Some days I feel like I wish I did not care. It would be so much easier. I have 2 inmates that I thought cared about me too who were transferred out and never responded to the several letters and cards I sent. It's tricky. The whole process is frustrating. Sometimes you just don't even know what to say. I wonder sometimes too if I am really helping or sort of "setting them up for pain" if one day I can't write for some reason. So many crazy things go through your head. But, I do try to make sure there is a piece of mail from me every week or so. I have five men that I write consistently. They so appreciate anything I send. Most people don't realize what it is like in there. They assume someone else is writing, or that there is not much to say that you might consider worthwhile.
Anyway, I am going to write you a letter about it. For those who have no one to write or vent to I am sorry and I pray that someone will come your way to fill that need.
You do matter. You ALL matter. I am sorry that you have been made to feel insignificant. You are not.
Be Blessed in your coming and going, Chaplain Levay PO Box 347402 Parma, Ohio 44134
Hello, I really enjoyed reading your blog about your life on Five Acres dated 06/11/2015.
I wanted to say a huge CONGRATULATIONS on earning another college degree and completing all of those courses to become a certified addiction treatment counselor. 432 hours is a lot of learning!
It looks like I read this too late to make a donation to your fundraising events, but I hope that your marathon went well and that lots of money was raised for the Special Olympics.
I hope you're continuing to work on that manuscript - it sounds really interesting, and I'm sending my best wishes to you for your work as a CCAPP Registered Alcohol and Drug Trainee. You're an inspiration to others.
Have a great day, with hopefully not too much of the silly, absurd or ridiculous in it!
Beautiful! If you are on facebook you will see I have many posts about the critters I have seen walking in the park in the morning. Last week I walked to work a few times through our old and half abandoned neighborhood and industrial areas. I saw a groundhog in some vacant lots on Monday. On Friday I saw a bald eagle! come in from the river and head toward my house. Peace.
Johnny E. Mahaffey September 24,2013 FOLLY OF THE FATHER My baby girls pulled me from the abyss, their eyes, and heart, wide open. I was young. My son too, yearned for me. My fatherhood to them a failure-- My worst of myself. Days became weeks, weeks to months, months to years, years... to... a lifetime. All passed. Time with no relevance, my life outside of time. Watching. Feeling.
Forever to see, to know, that which is beyond reach. Beyond repair. I was young, the abyss strong. I was Not yet myself.
RSS
I received your letter the other day. I did not however get a chance to get on this site until now 10/6/15. I will be sending you a letter, but wanted to post something on here too.
I actually do write a few inmates from the prison in Florida that I worked at. One of them asked me if I was sure that I had not ever been in prison because he was so surprised that I completely understood the "no mail blues". If I go to the ministry PO Box and there is nothing from "my guys" it hurts. I get concerned and honestly sad too.
What I can tell you from the outside is that it is a real roller coaster ride. Some days I feel like I wish I did not care. It would be so much easier. I have 2 inmates that I thought cared about me too who were transferred out and never responded to the several letters and cards I sent. It's tricky. The whole process is frustrating. Sometimes you just don't even know what to say. I wonder sometimes too if I am really helping or sort of "setting them up for pain" if one day I can't write for some reason. So many crazy things go through your head. But, I do try to make sure there is a piece of mail from me every week or so. I have five men that I write consistently. They so appreciate anything I send. Most people don't realize what it is like in there. They assume someone else is writing, or that there is not much to say that you might consider worthwhile.
Anyway, I am going to write you a letter about it. For those who have no one to write or vent to I am sorry and I pray that someone will come your way to fill that need.
You do matter. You ALL matter. I am sorry that you have been made to feel insignificant. You are not.
Be Blessed in your coming and going,
Chaplain Levay
PO Box 347402
Parma, Ohio 44134
vibrating into
thoughts
images
spirits
ladders
keys to unlock hands, feet, minds, hearts.
I see Big Tim smiling.
I really enjoyed reading your blog about your life on Five Acres dated 06/11/2015.
I wanted to say a huge CONGRATULATIONS on earning another college degree and completing all of those courses to become a certified addiction treatment counselor. 432 hours is a lot of learning!
It looks like I read this too late to make a donation to your fundraising events, but I hope that your marathon went well and that lots of money was raised for the Special Olympics.
I hope you're continuing to work on that manuscript - it sounds really interesting, and I'm sending my best wishes to you for your work as a CCAPP Registered Alcohol and Drug Trainee. You're an inspiration to others.
Have a great day, with hopefully not too much of the silly, absurd or ridiculous in it!
Emma
September 24,2013
FOLLY OF THE FATHER
My baby girls pulled me from the abyss,
their eyes, and heart, wide open.
I was young.
My son too, yearned for me.
My fatherhood to them a failure--
My worst of myself. Days became weeks,
weeks to months, months to years,
years... to... a lifetime.
All passed. Time with no relevance,
my life outside of time.
Watching. Feeling.
Forever to see, to know, that which
is beyond reach. Beyond repair.
I was young, the abyss strong.
I was
Not yet myself.