Is Your Mind Free to Roam?
About twenty years ago I read a book on POW survival stories; one resonates with me still. It was about a man who painted pictures with his blood and carved scenery by scratching the wood around him with his finger nails. When rescued he told his amazed liberators, “Only my body was captive. My mind was free to roam the world.”
I thought about that indomitable human spirit again after finding a website of prisoner art. Looking upon the pictures and marveling at the intricate details, vibrant colors and often emotionally moving content I could only rejoice for these artists. They have found a way out of prison, if only in the abstract sense and only for a short period. Incarceration is of the body, but the mind is free to go where it pleases!
Imprisonment is difficult for everyone involved. If you have an incarcerated loved one, encourage them to read, write (journal), draw, paint or help another inmate. Prison is for the body, not the mind. Encourage them to not have an idle mind. Put it work!
For us on the outside, our challenge is more complicated. We are free to roam the world in the most literal sense but we at times imprison ourselves along with our loved one. Our prison bars take many different forms. For some it is guilt; for others bitterness or lack of forgiveness and yet for others it is financial hardship. Whatever your bars, escape to a better place! Set apart a small part of your day to let your mind roam free!