Dear readers,

Another night is coming to a close and I'll be the first to say that I'm glad I can say six years down, five more to go. Because there are some people in here who are closing their eyes and saying, "Ten years down, a whole lifetime to go..."

But the purpose of this post isn't to give you a play by play or even a brief look into the despair or drowning sensation one feels in this "people factory" called prison. The purpose of this post is to open the doors of communication between us and, in time, build a foundation so strong to stand on so that nothing can break it. Are any of you ready for that? Or is that something you feel will be far off in the distance?

I know it may be strange getting something like this due to my current circumstances, but this is just a minor setback in the scheme of things. I hope that you won't let where I am decide whether you respond or not because we all make mistakes and bad choices (which as you can see) we all pay for sooner or later.

Before I go any further, I want to apologize if any of you feel that I have crossed the line in any sense because that isn't my intent. My only intent is to build a bridge where none exists and to bring a smile into a life that, at this point, so desperately needs one—mine!

Readers, I'm not the same man I was when I walked through the prison gates in 2006. That man had no goals, no direction, and in all honest, no concept of true manhood. But now I have shed that man and truly come to terms with what being a man means. I have taken this time and set goals, picked a direction, and learned what manhood means. I have obtained a HSED, am in college, and have already taken microeconomics, sociology, valuing diversity, and psychology.

All I want to know, readers, is will you walk with this road with me? I know that this may be a lot to ask of you, especially now, but if not now, when?