Daniel Gynn Blog Update
Date: 12/29/13
Subject: 'The Greatest Gift'

The week of Christmas turned out to be better than expected. Truth be told, I don't expect much of anything in here because this is prison. But we had a nice meal of turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce and apple crumb-cake. It's the same meal we had for Thanksgiving. I'm not complaining because I stuffed myself silly :) We get double portions on holidays and it was edible.

We received a goody bag with cookies, cakes, chips and candy as a gift from the Inmate General Welfare Fund, then there's a second bag we get that's full of candy and a treat. I'm not certain where that one comes from.

I was fortunate enough to receive a visit from a volunteer at the Prison Society. I don't get many visits. It's usually my attorneys coming to see me. I'm so far away from home that it's difficult for the family to make the 6 hour trip. During my 18 years here, I can count the amount of times my family came to visit on one hand. I pretend that it's no big deal so it doesn't seem to hurt, but it does so very much. I guess that's why this Christmas has been so difficult for me.

I was fortunate enough to receive 15 Christmas cards. It meant so much to receive all that love and support, especially since my spirits were kind of low. No matter how hard I had tried to put on a brave front, the pains still took its toll.

I believe the greatest gift I had received was the phone call I made to my father. After so many years of disconnect. To hear his voice made my heart melt, and I couldn't tell why we had ever stopped talking. I was that kid again, sitting up waiting for Santa Claus. It was difficult to hear of his struggles in my absence. Not being there to hold his hand and give him a hug. I've already lost my mother, grandmothers, aunts, a cousin and a niece, and was not able to be there for them. I don't want to lose my dad like that too. I'm glad we had reconnected, making the holidays very special.

Daniel Gwynn