Thank you for contacting me and sharing your concerns for our wellbeing, it means an awful lot during these times.
Today I received my positive test results for the coronavirus. Part of me knew I and others around me were positive due to dull taste and smell. In addition, they moved certain people out of the dorm who were negative(some of which are now positive because they waited too long to move them).
Thank God I am mostly asymptomatic. I couldn't help but think about the asymptomatic element of this virus and it serving as a metaphor for the emotional health of this place. Some people in here seem okay, but I wonder if they are really okay. They say they are okay but I have the sense that they under the surface are emotionally and socially damaged. Their symptons are little to none. But they are isolated and feel powerless to change their situation. Sometimes tensions run high and anger takes over or cynicism is in over drive. In times like these inside of prison where social distancing is impossible we see the worst of people, but we have also seen the best of people. We have seen staff and inmate alike become creative and produce masks and make songs and become comedians to make themselves and other feel better. It is interesting the world is able to social (physical) distance from each other and therefore emphasizes emotional closeness to compensate for the lack of normalacy, but here social (physical) distancing is impossible living 3feet away from each other and therefore some of us talk less to each other so that familiarity doesn't breed contempt. No visiting room only phone, and jaypay.
My comments are not very organized but I am just writing down my thoughts as they come. Thank you for writing me and expressing concern, in addition to the encouraging words. The philosophy class was scheduled to start here at Marion this spring. Maybe later, I love education especially the empowerment that comes from learning and organizing life.
Learning in here on your own can be difficult because you are not sure that you are interpreting things right.
I am so convinced that learning is not just an intellectual journey it is equally emotional and social journey that requires vulnerability and trust. thank you.
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