You know prison is not a hiding place, not supposed to be a comfort zone, it is a place that limits the prisoner from being free. You cannot move around freely; fear and intimidation plays a big role and then there are all the rules! Lights on, lights off, eat this time and do this and this another time, etc. I don’t have experience with an actual prison experience, but I believe it must be unbearable, especially in the beginning. However, I also believe that it may become home to many after a while and then to get used to another way of living could be a complete new thing again.
So often, when we have become used to living in the prisons we’ve created or others created for us, it becomes “home”. It becomes all we are familiar with and to get out, even though we know it’s best, becomes a scary experience. It is just easier to maintain the status quo.
I will give you an example: many people don’t know what they want to do after completing school. Often again the result of not knowing our purpose. Based on history we then do either what our parents or mentors at the time did, or suggest we do. Now, purpose has a way of talking to you. Like, all the time… You wake up and feel, oh no, another day in that job again… or you look at other people who do some things and you ask yourself “why don’t I have the skill or courage to do that?” That is purpose talking. It is calling you to back inline and do what you are supposed to do.
However, I am now in that position I came because I thought it was the right thing to do. It limits everything in me. It rules my life, day in and day out. I get up, out of bed, do what I must do, get back into bed, perhaps watch a movie, sleep and do it all over again tomorrow. Lights on…lights off… I am fearful to change. What if something goes wrong? Sounds like a prison to me, what about you?
When prison becomes our home, we don’t know how to get back into the real purpose for our lives. We just get stuck and hear about others who are in real prison and think “shame”. However, we do not recognise the four walls around us and the lion inside us that was made to conquer, not be contained. The very first thing we need to do is to realize it and then with it also know that we are imprisoned without being judged and found guilty of anything… we are still free! We have a choice of getting out and get into the real me still! It may be a fight, but believe me, it is a good one, with amazing results…
Until next time, Miskyah.
