Humor IS My Lifeline

Humor is my lifeline. I use it like medicine. It's kind of hard to feel depressed
when you're laughing. No matter how heavy your burdens: theres always a light
side. No matter how dark you situation: there's a bright side. Humor generates
happiness, and happiness is the elixir of life.

When the judge sentenced me to life (Thirty-seven years ago), I thought it was funny.
Fine years in prison I failed to see the humor. 99% of this environment is
designed to breed depression ( The "man" gave it to us a reminder that we are
here to be punished; not to enjoy ourselves,) there other 1% of this environment is
product of some criminologist's morbid sense of humor, for it rewards our good
behavior with very temporary tidbits of severely damaged pleasures that we
never should have been given in the first place if, indeed, we're here to be
punished.... and I fail to see any humor in THAT at all!

But looking between those prison bars is kind of like "reading between the lines":
Theres always some humor there somewhere amid all the long faces and
short tempers.

A famous TV personality once said: "Children say the darnedest things." He should have
been interviewing some of these inmates up in here.

I was a teacher's aide a few years back. The teacher instructed the classroom
of prisoners to write a short paper on some experience they had out there
in the free world. An old convict raises his hand and asks the teacher:
"How do you spell the word:"Necrophiliac"?" Now THAT was funny!

Happiness breeds content. Cheerful inmates are far more likely to be successful
on parole.

Scientific studies show that people who feed on humor are able to be healthier,
and live longer than if they went around sad and depressed all the time.

So, I tickle my old funny-bone at every opportunity. Thirty-seven years ago
when I first stepped off into this prison world I live in; I told every-
one: "They might take my body... but they'll never take my spirit. I will
not be broken!"

Stay cool, dear reader.
Stay happy
Laugh often
And I'll catch ya later....