Dear Reader, 6-14-2020
Hey. I hope your healthy & well!

There is a presence and an influence in nature and the open which expands the mind and causes brigand cares and worries to drop off - whereas in confined places foolish and futile thoughts of all kinds swarm like microbes and cloud and conceal the soul
Edward Carpenter [1844-1929]
Lecture 1, The Teachings of the Upanishads,

Living in the environment that I do, as a prisoner on Death Row, I've learned all to well the truth in this quote. If my mind has nothing to entertain it, those futile thoughts will. Worries of my case, will those I care about stick around, who can I ask for financial help... If I ask will they dissapear on me, should I have told her how I feel. It goes on and on. I'm in my cell 24 hours a day, 5 days a week and on the other 2 days it's 21 hours. Confined places...
For me, the most enjoyable thing I do is email/write with a friend. 2nd-exercise. 3rd-Listen to music. 4th- well there is no 4th! I would put watch T.V. but it keeps on screwing up. It'll freeze for 30 seconds, shut off and come back on all by itself.
Other than those things I have nothing else to occupy my mind. So I spend as much time as I can on those.... Now you see how dull isolation is on death row. For me, the more friends the better. They are my greatest escape from here focusing on their world instead of mine. Eating their food, seeing their times, hearing their minds & thoughts... Getting to experience their lives from my perspective. It pulls me from my dungeon & shows me the sun, moon, & sky.
-A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him, I may think aloud... A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.
-Friendship
Ralph Waldo Emerson
[1803-1882]
I couldn't agree more.
Until next time!

Yours truly,
Doug