JaM Rose

Photo credit: ©Alan Cressler | Locality: Ocala National Forest, Marion Co., Florida, US (2010)

Stretching our legs off highway 395, heading up towards the Whitney Portal

“I killed people, shot people, and robbed people. I’m not blaming society for my problems. These are things that I did. I was sentenced to 32 years to life. When I went to prison, I decided that I was never coming out again. I had to prepare myself for that. I got rid of all my compassion, sympathy, and pity. I had to deal with bruisers every day who might decide to throw a punch at me. So I suppressed all this stuff for three decades. Then oddly enough I was granted parole. Now I’m trying to learn to care again after spending 32 years in prison. Do you know how difficult that is?” ————————————————————– I heard this man’s story while attending a support group for formerly incarcerated individuals sponsored by The Fortune Society. The Fortune Society’s mission is to “create a world where all who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated can become positive, contributing members of society.”