Adelaide in prison?!!

Compassion is what you give because of who YOU are...not because of who THEY are.

Unless you find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else.

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Many years ago I visited a group for the families of alcoholics, to try to better understand the alcoholism in my family.  At the same church was a meeting for Alcoholics Anonymous, and afterwards, both groups mingled drinking coffee.

This is when I met Nora...

"You're short."
"No shit.  You're black."
"No shit.  I like you!"
"I like you too!"

Though Nora was many years older than me, we became very close friends.  She was a recovering alcoholic, and oh, what a journey she had been on! 

Briefly, after many years of hard drinking, Nora was dying of alcohol poisoning in the old General Hospital.  She had been wheeled to the area for those soon to die.  Only God had more for her to do, and spoke to her.  Told her she was going to get sober, and help others.

She lived, got sober, and became a powerful speaker.

One day the Warden of a women's prison an hour out of the city asked Nora to come speak.  

She asked, "Can I bring a friend?  I don't drive and I need her to bring me, but she too, has quite a story to tell."

The Warden told her he would be thrilled to have us both.

So off to prison we went.  Neither Nora or I had ever been in a prison before.  There are a lot of guards.  And a lot of iron gates.  After the fourth one clanged shut behind us, Nora whispered to me, "I sure hope they let us back out of here!"

The women, guards, and Warden absolutely loved us.  We were asked to come back many times.  The Warden, guards, and most of all...the women, said we reached them in ways no one else ever did before.  

I think one of my favorite African American writers, Zora Neale Hurston says it best, "You have to go there to know there."  Meaning you have had to walk through it to be able to inspire...that we weren't talking "at" them with just words, but "to" them as survivors like they could be too.

Anyway, it was quite an experience for us both.

Eventually Nora married, and I continued my challenge surmounting and galloping on my horses everywhere.  Yet no matter where I moved or which hospital I was in, Nora and I remained close until her passing.

We just never know what treasures may be found through the compassion we give, dear ones.