Through the Walls

Friday, July 02, 2004


Alternatives to Violence


Hi and thanks for visiting this Blog. Today I’d like to talk to you about the program (that I once talked to you about) that they bring here to the prison every two or three months. It’s called AVP (Alternative to Violence Program). It offers workshops that help people live a life without violence, through affirmation, respect for others, cooperation and trust. This program started back in 1975 in the prison system of New York. The first workshop was created at the Greenhaven prison, when a group of inmates felt the need to start a course to solve conflicts, in preparation for their roles as counselors for an experimental program in a juvenile institution. The inmates asked the Quaker’s local chapter to provide them with that course. From that prison, the program has extended to other prisons through the meetings of the Quaker.

The program is pleasant and fun. When I took it, I had a lot of fun, because we seemed like kids playing. I thought, what would our sons say if they saw us right now. The program is also offered outside of prison. If you have a chance to take it, I recommend it, because asides from having fun, you’ll learn a lot, as well as meeting new friends.

Here below’s a message I really liked. Hope you like it as well. Bye.

Your friend,

Pedro

The Island of Emotions

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the emotions lived: there was Happiness, Sadness and a lot more, including Love. One day, there was an announcement to all the inhabitants, that the island was going to sink. All the emotions got in their boats and got ready to leave, but the Love stayed, because it wanted to spend more time with the island it loved so much before it sank. When the Love was almost drowned, it started asking for help. The Love saw the Richness and asked: “Richness, take me with you?”. “I can’t”, replied the Richness, “I have a lot of gold and silver and I have no space for you”. Then the Love called to the Vanity who was passing by, saying: “Vanity, help me?”. “I can’t”, said the Vanity, “You’re all wet and if I take you, you are going to ruin my new boat”. Then the Love asked the Sadness for help: “Sadness, can I go with you?”... “Oh, Love! I’m so sad that I want to travel by myself”. The Happiness was sailing also, but it was so happy that it didn’t hear the Love when it was calling her. Desperate, the Love started to cry. That is when the Love heard a voice: “Come here Love, I’ll take you”. It was an old guy, but the Love was so happy, he forgot to ask the name of who was helping him. When the Love got to the new island, he asked the Wisdom: “Wisdom, who was the old guy who took me here?”... “It was the Time”, the Wisdom answered. “Time!... why was the Time the only one who wanted to save me?” The Wisdom answered: “Because Time is the only one capable of helping and understanding a great Love.”

posted by P.M., 11:59 AM Email This Post

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