the meaning of a day for a life prisoner

 

Revelation leads us, outwardly, to a new awareness of the world, and inwardly, to a fresh reflection of ourselves.

Such revelation is the most real happiness allowed for us, I came to think.

To a prisoner serving a life sentence, the length of a day makes hardly any difference.

All that matters is, how meaningful it is.

I could make my days meaningful by seeking revelations of the world and of human beings, through which I experienced repeated renewals of myself.

It was the only meaningful thing I could do, in the middle of the meaningless flow of time.

[Shenzi]

 

People outside the prison walls usually believe that they can change the world, while those inside cannot. I doubt it. Time flows in the same way on either side of the walls, and what we can change is ourselves, not the world. When we realize the fact that all human beings are inmates for life, we will begin seeking ways to make our days really meaningful.