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The Basic Training In Federal
Prison - Page 5
Rona, a pregnant truck driver who has
been in and out of custody since she was six, told me, "All
my life I've put myself first. I always put other people down,
always found fault with them. Now I've learned the problem
was in my head. Yesterday, I learned how to respect and love
others!"
Rona is a strong-willed lady who boasted
of her success as a truck driver. "I can put out a man's
work," she said. She is scheduled to be freed in a few
weeks and will marry her boyfriend, also a truck driver. She
is ecstatically happy that she has a new attitude to bring
to him through Lifespring.
"It's fantastic!" she said.
"Lifespring is what I've been looking for all my life.
I'm happy, I like myself, and I'm a new person!"
"Of all the prisons I've ever
been in, this is the nicest, but correction comes only if
you want to be corrected, and here you are encouraged to improve
because they give you beautiful treatment. Tough, mean prisons
don't help at all. They treat you like a dog but don't allow
you to bark. They treat you like a dead dog at Sybil Brandt
prison in L.A. It's the worst!" said Rona. "But
prison is prison, no matter how attractive the environment.
You are not free and there is lots of hostility at all levels!"
The women who stuck it out for the
four days learned Kausen's lesson clearly. He said, "Prison
is in your head. There are many free people on the street
who are more imprisoned than you are, in their minds!"
Pretty Paula, an especially charming
girl, said, "Lifespring has helped me to take a deep
look inside at what has been hidden for so long, and I have
experienced feelings that I have suppressed for a long time.
I can't wait to tell my mother that I want her to take Lifespring.
I've opened up and I want be able to love. I know I'll be
more vulnerable. The fear hurt, and it's very scary to want
to be open to love despite of the risk!"
Mattie, a tiny woman of 45 with close-cropped
hair doing her ninth term, said, "Everybody there looks
so happy and then I realize it's me. I'm happy and so everybody
else looks great. I got to feel silly and it's great to feel
and to laugh!"
Kausen said to her, "Mattie, nothing is different in
here. It's you who has changed...It has always been you!"
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