Week 110: Happy Christmastime!

Yup, it’s Christmastime (again) – my third Christmas in prison, which is surreal to even think about. Inmates are an odd species. On Christmas Eve, we had a large entertainment event: two bands, four rappers, and two comedians performed for about 2 hours…none of the content dealt with Christmas themes. The audience received a large bag of red/green kettle-style popcorn and a large piece of banana cake topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting – yum. These treats were especially bountiful since supplies are being used since the announcement of the prison closing. Overall, the event was highly successful. I played in both bands, which couldn’t be any different. The first band played two songs: Symphony of Destruction by Megadeath and Holy Diver by DIO (more than likely songs that I will never play again). Then, the second band played Knocking on
Heaven’s Door, Simple Man by Lynnard Skynnard, Only Thing That’s Gone by Morgan Whelan, and Shaboozy’s The Bar Song. The event was a success and had a very large turnout of around 300 guys.
While it might be Christmas to the rest of the world, the only thing that made it seem like Christmas here was the red/green popcorn. I’m exaggerating a bit. I did participate in Christmas Mass, during which we finally sang Christmas tunes: Joy to the World, Silent Night, and Hark, The Herald Angels Sing – it’s honestly the little things that make a difference for life in a prison setting. We did have a very delicious holiday meal: Two – YES TWO bountiful cornish hens for each guy with sweet potato souffle, macaroni salad, spiced sauerkraut, pecan pie, and cinnamon cake. It doesn’t compete with homecookin’, but it was a blessing to have so much food. The holiday meal is served at 10:30 a.m., so we had to keep any leftovers for dinner since the kitchen was closed the rest of the day (this is a typical Christmas/New Year schedule).
I really appreciate all the holiday cheer and love that you have shared over these past few weeks. From holiday cards to family picture cards, I am blessed to remain connected to each of you, while not being physically present. I was privileged to call the Fishers on Christmas Eve and the Gaughans on Christmas Day, albeit the conversations are way too short. During my call to my parents, I found out that my dad had just returned home from the hospital after having been battling pneumonia and sepsis, which was a little Christmas miracle that he
made it back home. At the end of the month, my phone minutes run really low since the minutes are quite limited. For many families and individuals, this time of year may be very difficult with financial hardship, loss of loved ones, and plagues of physical and mental health, like my Aunt Roseanne, who’s painfully recovering from an emergency surgery for a critically broken leg. Thus, the power of prayer is truly needed for so many! I remain awed by all the encouragement, support, and prayers that you continue to have for me – it’s really making a difference for the better! I wish you and your loved ones a blessed and joyful Christmastime! Have a wonderful week and continue to look for any little miracle in your daily life 🙂