Hello Friends,
Here’s a letter to the editor published in the New York Times:
LETTER
Prison Transformations
To the Editor:
Re “Fellow Inmates Ease Pain of Dying in Jail, and Glimpse New Life” (“Months to Live” series, front page, Oct. 18):
What a tender, important story. Prisoners who commit generous acts toward dying fellow inmates awaken to their own capacity for love and, in the process, come to feel regret and compassion for those they have harmed.
I have seen this again and again in groups my colleagues and I lead overseas for war-traumatized children and adults and here at home for American troops who have been maimed and bereaved by combat. Fantasies of revenge dissolve, knots of resentment loosen.
These inmates’ stories tell us that we must make such opportunities for change available to prisoners whom we have abandoned as irredeemable. The lessons these transformations teach us are priceless.
James S. Gordon
Washington, Oct. 20, 2009The writer is a psychiatrist and the founder and director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine.
Also, don’t forget that my PBS fundraising special based on Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression will be airing nationally at the end of the month!
Take a look at my calendar (right column) to see if your local station will be carrying it. More dates & stations will be added. We’ll get you more information soon! (If you’re on our mailing lists, it will be delivered to your inbox–signup box is also in the right column.)
In the meantime, here’s the website, and here’s a short trailer via Youtube.
We hope you’ll tune in and support your local Public Broadcasting Station and all their wonderful programming by calling in and pledging during your local run.
Jim
