A closer look inside

I recently came across an essay on Quora.com. It was written by Tommy Winfrey, an inmate in San Quentin State Prison. His words were in response to the question: “What should everyone know about prison?”

As someone who regularly goes behind bars as a Truth Be Told volunteer at Lockhart Prison, I found myself wondering what it would feel like to enter those same doors as a convicted and sentenced offender. It wasn’t the first time I had imagined it, but it was the first time I had imagined it as something that could actually happen. Why? It was in the way that Tommy Winfrey concluded his essay — with a reference to people who drink and drive, or text and drive. Says Winfrey: “A prison sentence can happen in the blink of an eye.”

My truth being told? I’ve been guilty of both offenses. But there, by the grace of God, go I.

I’m taking this as a wakeup call, a direct message from my Higher Power. Call a cab next time. It’s worth the expense and having to retrieve your car the following morning. Leave your phone in your purse — even while sitting at a traffic light. Email, phone calls, text messages — it can all wait until later.

Anyway, here’s what Winfrey had to say in response to the question: What should everyone know about prison?