Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit of Hope, Healing and Forgiveness
348
Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit of Hope, Healing and Forgiveness
348eBook
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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781453279113 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Chicken Soup for the Soul |
| Publication date: | 08/07/2012 |
| Series: | Chicken Soup for the Soul Series |
| Sold by: | SIMON & SCHUSTER |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 348 |
| File size: | 3 MB |
About the Author
Jack Canfield is co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, which includes forty New York Times bestsellers, and coauthor of The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. He is a leader in the field of personal transformation and peak performance and is currently CEO of the Canfield Training Group and Founder and Chairman of the Board of The Foundation for Self-Esteem. An internationally renowned corporate trainer and keynote speaker, he lives in Santa Barbara, California.
Mark Victor Hansen is a co-founder of Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Hometown:
Santa Barbara, CaliforniaDate of Birth:
August 19, 1944Place of Birth:
Fort Worth, TexasEducation:
B.A. in History, Harvard University, 1966; M.A.T. Program, University of Chicago, 1968; M.Ed., U. of Massachusetts, 1973Website:
http://www.jackcanfield.comRead an Excerpt
The Sunray Catcher
Today, in the prison chow hall, I overheard a young female officer talking to another officer. She was talking about her special little girl. Seems this little girl was standing on the front seat of her car the other day, grabbing at the sunrays as they reflected off the windshield. When her mother asked her what she was doing, the little girl said she was trying to catch a sunray for her mom as a present. Both officers agreed on how special moments like that were. The other officer then asked if this mother got to spend time with her special little girl.
"No, but when my career gets back on track, I'll have more time to spend with her, when she is older," said the young mother. I wanted to scream and tell her that mother to spend every single second she possibly can with her child, but I couldn't. Maybe after you read what follows, you will better understand.
It's the awful truth, as it happened to me. It starts with an unwritten letter -- a letter I can never send:
Dear Kent,
As I look at you, I see your hair is nicely combed. I remember the hours and gallons of water we used, trying to train your hair. It always seemed to have a mind of its own. I can see that scar on your lip; hardly shows now, too. We were worried about that. You were such a brave little man when I took you to Dr. Nordquist to get those three stitches in it. I was the one who almost fainted when they started sticking you with that needle. The nurse even made me leave the room.
On the way home, I told you that you could have any treat you wanted, for being so brave. You wanted a cup of coffee, "Like big men drink," you said. My five-year-old little brave man, drinking coffee in the Rainbow Restaurant, just like big men. It was our secret; lucky Mom never found out, huh?
You have grown tall and nice looking. Grandpa always said you were going to be a big man. Guess what I'm proudest of in you? It's your kindness to all things. When we found out that your little dog, Porkchop, was epileptic, you were so happy that you cried. You had seen Porkchop have fits many times, and we were sure he would die. For three years after that, you faithfully gave Porkchop his pill every day.
I remember the day you helped me fix my pickup. We sure got greasy -- Mom wouldn't even let us in the house for lunch, but we fooled her. We went to the store and got a pizza, then lipped off to Mom and your two brothers, while eating it, still dirty. Yes, that was fun. We laughed a lot that day. I found out later that you did save a piece of pizza for your little brother; it was our secret too.
I've always been proud of you for so many reasons, Kent. Your silent kindness and strength, your loyalty, your soft heart, and secrets you shared with me. I remember how you used to lay across my lap with your shirt pulled up, exposing your bare back. I would trace my fingers lightly over your skin; it seemed to almost hypnotize you. I had done it many times when you were a baby, to get you to sleep when you weren't feeling good. Guess you just never grew out of liking it. I liked it too.
I remember the day I came to tell you that I was going away for a long time -- going to prison. You stood silently, listening with your head bowed and tears in your eyes, asking why. You hugged me and ran up into the woods, to your secret fort, crying. I cried too that day, Kent. I was ashamed of myself, and of breaking your heart.
You did write me and sent the colored pictures you drew in school. I had them on my cell wall for years, and yes, I bragged about them to my friends. I have lain awake many nights wondering who was teaching you to drive, who was your first girlfriend, and how I would tease you about her, as if I were right there with you. I'm sorry for missing so much of you, Kent.
Love,
Daddy
As I stood looking at my special little boy, in a light gray coffin, I was dressed in bright orange coveralls. Prison guards were beside me. I wanted to reach out and touch him just once more, but the chains on my wrists wouldn't allow it.
It took a mortician to cover that cut on Kent's lip and get his hair to lay down. I'm so awfully sorry for missing the last eight years of Kent's life. If only I could have another chance to be the daddy he wanted me to be -- the daddy he deserved. If I could just tickle Kent's back once more, or share some secret with him, or tease him and hold him for just a few minutes. God, I would gladly die for the chance.
Kent was killed when he was crushed under a tractor in an accident near Kelso, Washington. He is buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, near the only tree there. So, if you are ever near that cemetery, and see a six-foot, five-inch, two hundred and seventy-pound beatup old man on his knees beside that grave, praying to God in shame, you will know why.
Hopefully you will better understand why I wish he could have read this letter, while he was alive. There are so many things I should have told him. So much time I should have spent with him.
If you have a special child in your life, please don't, for any reason, miss one single second with that child. Don't let what happened to me happen to you. Those moments are so awfully important.
To the lady officer, with the special little sunray catcher -- please believe me when I say, "For God's sake, spend every single precious moment with your child, now! This could be your last chance, because sometimes very special children don't get any older."
Ken "Duke" Monse'Broten
Reprinted by permission of Ken "Duke" Monse'Broten ¬1996. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Tom 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.
Table of Contents
How This Book Came to Be xv
Introduction xxi
1 On Family
Even the Strong Have a Soft Spot Robert Fuentes 2
The Sunray Catcher Ken "Duke" Monse' Broten 6
Light Came and Went and Came Again Willie B. Raborn 10
Being a "Souper" Parent Thomas Ann Hines 14
A Convict's Letter to His Son Lou Torok 18
Beautiful Music Kimberly Raymer 21
Mom's Final Act R L. Todd 24
The Promised Visit Ron Ambrosia 28
Unsung "Sheroes" George Castillo 30
Putting on the Mask Linda Reeves 33
Where There's Faith G. Ashanti Witherspoon 36
Mail Call John M. Reynolds 38
Envy Ken "Duke" Monse' Broten 39
Just a Touch Ken "Duke" Monse' Broten 40
A Father's Prayer John W. Gillette Jr. 44
2 On Change
Bringing the Outside to the Inside Christine Money 49
My Best Friend Jack George M. Roth 51
Another Gold Nugget R. Troy Bridges 55
So Can You! Jack Canfield Mark Victor Hansen 58
A Lot of Bread Lucy Serna Killebrew 61
Thirty-Seven Years in the Wilderness: A Letter to God Kenneth L. Bonner 64
Brainwashed Dan Millstein 67
Brother Harry Dan Millstein 69
Days of Diamonds, Days of Stones Rod Carter 73
The Great Escape Jerry Gillies 77
Change Is Possible Gordon Graham 80
A Simple Witness Chaplain Dick Swan 82
The Lion and the Mouse Judge Bob Downing 84
Writing Can Change the World Tony Webb 87
A Magic Touch Toni Carter 90
My Defining Moment Colleen Fiant 93
Beneath the Layers of Filth Douglas Burgess 97
3 On Faith
Ivy's Cookies Candy Abbott 102
Dead Man Walking Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ 108
A Wise Old Man Andre T. Jackson 110
Never Second Guess God's Ways Charles W. Colson 113
One Day Outside My Prison Window Efrain Frank Hernandez 115
Christmas in Jail (A Strange Place to Find Peace on Earth) Lou Torok 116
Perfect Freedom Charles W. Colson 120
I Was in Prison Curt Boudreaux 122
A Hug in Prison Yitta Mandelbaum 126
A Sunday at San Quentin Mike Robinson 128
Prayer for the Perpetrator Marianne Williamson 132
One Cup at a Time Steven Dodrill 133
Etched in My Mind Brian Brookheart 138
4 On Forgiveness
God Works in Mysterious Ways Mary Rachelski 142
If You Will Welcome Me Billy Graham 145
Celebrating Forgiveness Afshin Valinejad 147
Strangers Behind Glass Ken "Duke" Monse' Broten 150
I'm Sorry, Dad Dale Gaudet 155
The Gift of Forgiveness Kim Book 157
Bringing Dignity Jane Davis 160
5 On Kindness
The Gift of Friendship Diane Harshman 166
You Never Know Who's Listening James Malinchak 170
Chicken Soup Geraldine Nagy, Ph.D 174
Its Rightful Owner David Smith 179
Bittersweet Journey Nonnandie Fallon 181
A Few Kind Words A. Douglas Rowley 184
Who Is the Tutor? Who Is the Student? Nancy Waller 186
Impress Me! Mary Rachelski 189
Walking Tall in Toastmasters Rex Moore Jr. 192
The Gift of Music Brandon Lagana 197
My Bag-Lady Friend and Me Jay Cocuzzo 200
Your Best Shot Laura Lagana 203
August 25 Gail Valla 207
Christmas Eve Behind Bars Nanci McGraw 210
6 On Love
Love and Compassion in Maximum Security Bob Kennington 214
Reunited Douglas Paul Blankenship 217
The Healing Touch Dale Gaudet 219
How Do I Love Thee? Cecilia Thomasson Baker 222
Serving Others While Serving Time Jerry Gillies 225
A Letter from Mother Teresa Lou Torok 229
The Life … of Death Jane Davis 232
The Waiting Game Perry Arledge 236
Meet Me at the Bridge Nancy Muhammad 239
A Mother's Comfort Felixa Miller 242
Through the Years Standing by You Virginia Pool 244
7 Overcoming Obstacles
Releasing the Prisoner Within Judi Weisbart 249
The Writing on the Wall Radames Rios 252
An Attitude of Gratitude Judy Worthen 254
Memories Ken "Duke" Monse' Broten 257
Choices, Decisions, Consequences Daniel Bayse 261
It's What's Inside That Matters! Robert C. Perks 264
Wake Up to Life Kevin Scott Rodriguez 267
Teachers of Peace Dan Millstein 271
Focus Your Energy Jack Canfield Mark Victor Hansen 273
The List Marcia Reynolds 275
The Feeling of Success Tekla Dennison Miller 278
8 On Wisdom
The Unmaking of a Man Marion Boykin 283
Punishment Michael G. Santos 287
The Power of One Gary K. Farlow 290
While You Were Out Toni K Cyan-Brock 292
Happy Holidays Daryl D. Foley 294
The Wisdom of Jesse Jesse Garcia 297
Looking for Good Clifford G. Angeroth 299
The Law of Compensation Sid Madwed 301
World Without Violence Aran Gandhi 302
Success-Who Can Judge? Tom Lagana 304
Not a Mistake Juan Jose (Johnny) Galvan 307
Wasted Time Dave LeFave 309
Time-Out Sandra Keller 311
Who Is Jack Canfield? 315
Who Is Mark Victor Hansen? 316
Who Is Tom Lagana? 317
Contributors 319
Permissions 331