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Being locked away has helped me realize the real differences between my wants and my needs. Inside these walls, my feelings of being lost and forgotten haven’t made me lose hope or give up on my success. I’ve come to learn I need to care and love myself mentally, physically and spiritually before I do anyone else. I crave to write and talk to someone from the outside just for a sense of comfort. While this seems reasonable, I know I need to spend time educating myself first. How can I help someone else when I can’t help myself?  I am trying to figure out how I can be a better person than I was yesterday. By spreading positive energy, gaining knowledge through wisdom and simply taking “I can’t “ out of my vocabulary, I know I will be able to be better. I ask myself, how can I not do something – I haven’t even tried? If I fail, I will have something to study upon and get better at. One thing I do know, we, as in every living organism on the planet Earth, have the power to control the environment we live in because we are the masters of our fate, the captains of our souls. We have the power to control our thoughts and turn them into GOLD. 

 

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These stories arrive by mail.

Every month, a physical envelope arrives at your door, postmarked from San Quentin Village, California. Inside, you will find original artwork, writing, and recipes from real contributors, along with a personal letter from me, Diane Kahn, founder of Humans of San Quentin, about the people who made them. You read it. You keep it.

Every piece comes from someone serving a sentence. Every piece reminds you they are so much more than that.

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