Serving Productive Time: Stories, Poems, and Tips to Inspire Positive Change from Inmates, Prison Staff, and Volunteers - Softcover

Lagana, Tom; Lagana, Laura

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0757307825 ISBN 13: 9780757307829

Publisher: Health Communications Inc, 2009

Synopsis

From the coauthor of Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul—a program that develops positive change for inmates and their loved ones 

With their books Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul and Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul, Tom and Laura Lagana have shown readers how to make positive use of their time—whether they are serving others or serving time. In Serving Productive Time they go one step further, using powerful stories, poems, and cartoons created by inmates and others to address the realities of penal existence. They build on these voices of experience with essays and advice that show inmates how to truly make their time count, and give meaning to their lives right now, while making amends for their crimes and working toward release.

• Inspires inmates to use programs and resources, perform positive deeds, and acquire skills 
• Empowers correctional staff, counselors, families, and volunteers to help inmates who want to make positive changes in their lives

 

About this title

From the Author

Tom Lagana is the coauthors of Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul), a prestenter and facilitator for clients on both sides of the razor wire. Laura Lagana is an author, professional speaker, nurse, and volunteer. She is a coauthor of Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul, Serving Time, Serving Others, The Quick and Easy Guide to Project Management, author/editor of Touched by Angels of Mercy, and a frequent Chicken Soup for the Soul contributing author. Laura made a transition from a career in nursing to that of writing and speaking, where she savors the opportunity to follow her lifelong passion as she combines the best of all three worlds.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

First Impressions

Gary K. Farlow

Like most people, I had a Hollywood image of prison: smoke-filled dormitories inhabited by tattooed bodybuilders carrying hate and homemade weapons. I arrived at North Carolina's Central Prison on a Friday evening. I wore my fear and trepidation like an aura as I, a pallid 128-pound weakling, stepped into my worst nightmare. It was like the old television commercial for E. F. Hutton. All conversation and card games came to an immediate halt when I walked into the dorm. All heads swiveled in my direction to size me up. My first thought was, I'm going to die tonight. I was about to learn just how misleading first impressions can be.

I never knew his real name. 'Preacher' was probably in his late fifties and, despite imprisonment, carried the demeanor of one who hadn't a worry in the world. As fate would have it, I was assigned to the bunk immediately over him. After a couple of days of observing me in my self-imposed isolation, Preacher approached me carrying a soda and a Bible.

Now I always considered myself to be a Christian. I mean, I was brought up in the church, baptized, and 'saved,' so I must be a Christian, right? Yet, like so many, I tended to view God as some sort of 'celestial Santa Claus' I called on only when I wanted something.

'You look like you could use a friend,' were Preacher's first words as he handed me a Bible and a soda. My suspicions must have been obvious. Preacher tilted his head back and laughed. 'Don't worry yourself. I ain't gonna hurt you, and I want nothing from you. My friendship and the Bible are free. You can repay the soda when you're able to.'

My relief, as well as all of the anxiety and apprehension I'd kept bottled up inside, suddenly burst forth. Tears flowed, and my body slumped like a deflated balloon.

'You can live in prison one of two ways,' Preacher explained. 'You can serve time, or it can serve you.'
Somewhat puzzled, I asked, 'What do you mean?'

'Well, it's obvious. God intends for you to learn something. You have a choice now, just like you did when you committed your crime. It's called free will. You can spend your years consumed in anger, bitterness, and blaming everyone and everything else, or you can accept responsibility for your actions and make this time work for you and count for ­something.'

'You mean, sort of like when life gives you lemons and you make lemonade?'
'Kinda,' Preacher responded. 'You have the opportunity, albeit forced upon you, to better yourself―get a handle on your problems, pursue an education, and develop a talent. It's all up to you.'

I stared dumbfounded. I thought, Is this guy trying to tell me to be grateful for prison? 'It sounds as if you think I should be thankful to be here, Preacher.'

Shaking his head, Preacher replied, 'No, Gary, not at all. What I'm trying to tell you is that you should make the conscious choice to not waste this time. Have something to show for it when the time comes.'

Preacher left Central Prison just a few days later. As is the case, inmates are a transient population. When I think of him, I'm reminded of seventh-grade literature class and a book entitled Brief Encounters. It focused on the fact that we often meet people in our lives who we may know only for a short time but who have a lasting and profound impact on us.

©2009. Gary K. Farlow. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Serving Productive Time by Tom Lagana, Laura Lagana. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street , Deerfield Beach , FL 33442.

Edition details

• Publisher: Health Communications Inc
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0757307825
• ISBN 13: 9780757307829
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 244