Everybody Needs Somebody

Hi, I’m Toni and I am an Oprah’s Lifeclass Addict.  Now that we got that out of the way, let me share my thoughts with you. 

On this season of Lifeclass, I was overjoyed to see six women from the Rockville Correctional Institution in the audience via Skype.  Why am I overjoyed to see this?  My intense joy is a result of the recognition that these inmates are no different than we are – people desiring self-improvement – and that they were treated as such.  My heart was truly touched that this correctional institution was truly living up to its purpose of restoring the whole person.  The main purpose of incarceration is to restore the individual through:

·         Retribution

·         Reformation

·         Rehabilitation

However, many times our justice system restores inmates mainly through retribution and they are subsequently released without true reform and not really rehabilitated.  This error is detrimental to the society as a whole, because a ‘revolving door’ cycle ensues – the inmate is released and goes back to his/her former activities is returned to prison and so on.  It should be noted that it is often financially and emotionally cheaper to rehabilitate than to incarcerate. 

Usually, inmates are not thought of very fondly and some of us even believe that we are better than they are.  Albeit, with the right mix of circumstances, stress, mindset and/or [a weapon], any one of us could be incarcerated.  With that in mind, how do you treat an incarcerated person or someone who has recently been released?  Are you your brother’s keeper?  What do we do assist that person to improve their life situation?  What can we do?

Oprah’s Lifeclass is just one tool which can be used as we restore the whole person for reintegration into society.  These classes guide people to become the highest expressions of themselves, which begin with their own awakening.  The awakening includes being awakened to their roles in being incarcerated and the notion that they have a purpose.  Many churches have prison ministries aimed at providing tools for inmates to renter society and the one which I particularly like is Texas Offenders Reentry Initiative (TORI) – a faith based program affiliated with the Potter’s House of Dallas.  The initiative’s motto is ‘Healing the Past to Empower the Future’.  To my mind, when a person recognizes that they have potential to become their best self, and they are given the tools – training and opportunity – we have a person who is less likely to return to prison.  Some prisons also have excellent programs which restore the humanity of their inmates – for example a hospice program at Angola Prison in Louisiana. 

How can we help?  There are many great programs, but I dare say we need more.  Yes, I know that red tape abounds if we want to set up such an ambitious program, however, we can consider donating to programs which educate and prepare inmates for reentering society.  If you have the time, you can join a prison ministry in your church and teach inmates to read or help with GED preparation.  There are myriad opportunities to help others live their best lives. 

Everybody needs somebody and I try every day to be a ‘somebody’ to those I come in contact with.  Can you be somebody to someone today?

I’m just thinking . . .