06 Nov 07
Parting Advice from T-Bone
“One of the things,” T-Bone began, “you need to do is to sit down at the table with Mom and Pop and learn who they really are as human beings.”
“You’re right,” I said.
“How long have they been married?”
“Nearly forty years.”
“Can you imagine all the ups and downs they’ve been through over the years? Yet they are still together. They are successful people. Learn how they did it, so you can grow and obtain wisdom and knowledge and understanding. You’ve been through some things in the States and you didn’t connect with your family in the right way. I’m telling you as a man, you need to sit down with them over a cup of tea. Do you have the guts to do it?”
“I hope so.”
“And when you’re talking with them, if your heart doesn’t jump with pride, honour, and astonishment then you’re empty inside ’cause what they’ve done takes strength.
You also need to stay away from chicks who are party girls, and to focus on one woman. What are you gonna do if you meet some chick in a flimsy little outfit, a fishnet dress maybe, and she’s five-seven, nicely built, up on heels and with plenty of makeup on, and she has a bunch of X, and she comes to you and says, ‘Bring your pretty little butt over here, Jonny?’ You have to make a choice. She’s mesmerizing. She’s tantalizing. She’s sexy. Her breath smells like cinnamon and jasmine. Her bed is perfumed with myrrh and aloes like the harlot in Proverbs 7. Are you gonna go for the temptation that leads you down the path of destruction?”
“No!”
“Are you gonna allow her perfume and drugs to seduce you, to take you to the demonic realm?”
“I’m out of that lifestyle.”
To be continued…
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Copyright © 2006-2007 Shaun P. Attwood
I've heard it more than once from women inmates I assist in our county prison-"I just woke up here" (more or less). My partner and I try to stress how much wrong thinking leads to wrong living. They didn't just wake up behind bars. We walk them through scenarios of temptations and the triggers of addiction to come up with plans to deal with things differently. But that isn't just for addicts or prisoners. I do the same thing personally.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing is, replace negatives with positives. The greatest way to do that is to invest time in the lives of other people, your family, volunteer work, mentoring-it's not enough to avoid wrong living. You're already doing that by helping other inmates. Also, stay connected to strong people. We tell our ladies, before you go out the door and a bar is at the end of the journey or a dealer, pick up the phone. E-mail someone. T-Bone gives good advice.