If you ever wondered why I share my story so freely here is a perfect example of why. This is a response to my talk that someone posted on the TED page Shaka, thank you for such a moving and inspiring speech. My favorite thing you said: Anyone can have a transformation if we create the space for that to happen. Yes. After my police officer husband was killed in the line of duty in 2005, I didnt believe the redemption of his killer was possible. After many years of suffering, I decided to start speaking to people in prison. I wanted to know why... I wanted them to know how badly I was hurt. What I learned was that they held the key to my healing. The young man who killed my husband was caught and is now on death row in San Quentin. The promise of closure that everyone told me the death penalty would bring was a lie. The only truth I found was in forgiveness - of Irving and myself. The only thing I cant seem to forgive is our criminal justice system... so Im working to change it. I used to believe that prisons were full of ugly weeds that just needed to be exterminated. Now, when I walk into San Quentin, all I see are flowers. What changed wasnt everyone in prison, it was me. Perspective is everything, and once I adjusted mine, a whole new world opened up and it is beautiful. Thank you for putting yourself out there and standing up to the criticism that you undoubtedly suffer, it cant be easy. I get it too but for different reasons, as you might imagine. A once proud conservative cops widow turned hug-a-thug, bleeding heart hippie. Whatever... Im happy and I love people. If theres something wrong with that, I dont want to be right!
Posted on: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 22:45:07 +0000
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