I sit in this cage, in this place of monstrosity alone always alone, even in the physical midst of hundreds of other captivated individuals, I am so very much alone. I realize that I have a need. A need which I have been desperately trying to evade, but which constantly haunts daily existence aNd torments my every night. A need for "companionship."

        There is a line from a well-known song that says: "people who need people are the luckiest people in the world.”  Those of us who have lost our hearing and freedom feel this need so acutely. While our environmental contacts with people become more difficult and stressful because of hearing problems (lost), and the loss of freedom.  Our need to find comfort in companionship does not diminish. Certainly the need is there.

        I can think of no faster way to reach the state of loneliness than to lose your hearing.  I can think of no greater way to feel rejected than to develop a state of loneliness through incarceration, and feel that all of those around you don’t understand, You begin to feel sorry for yourself. You begin to turn inward. You begin to hurt, cry, and dream. Yes, dream, for only in dreams can you find and manifest the friend, the companionship, the trust, the love, the understanding, the feeling of being a part of something, of belonging.

        I have vritten many letters out to many clubs, organizations, schools, universities, and publications. In regards to reaching out and exploring their common experiences, in regards to investigating the possibility of sharing, and exchanging ideas, thoughts, dreams, feelings, and forming friendships. A spark can ignite and spread into a blazing accomplishment. If only a few hearts would unite.

        Via letters; an effort can be made to put people in contact with people who need people, in that they can bring hope to each other, by being able to share their common situations and experiences, and deriving strength and support from each other. New worlds and new vistas can be open.  I believe that we can choose the world we live in by changing even the enormous threats to our existence - one step at a time. We can do this by thinking globally, and acting locally.

        It’s not hard to take ten (10) to fifteen (15) minutes out of a day, out of a week, to sit down and write to someone, to be able to share the mental and morel exchange and sympathetic feelings that flow from one person to another, in a shared disability. To be able to encourage others who have the same problems, the same day-to-day challenges, and the same hills to climb.

        An old Arab proverb I once read, states:

        Just an easy exchange of conversation and a willingness to listen and offer insight that is backed up by experience can be such a help to an incarcerated deaf or disabled person. Just as even a willingness to come and visit can be the product that fosters an upswing attitude and changes ones life from silent withdrawing and reticent attitudes to one of happiness and joy.  By doing this, each one of us, in our own way, can make a difference - in our lives and in the lives of others.

        Our incarceration doesn’t diminish our humanness. We may have made a mistake in life, but we are just as human as anyone else, we cry, laugh, work, marry, rear children, care and love.

                                                Caring is the art of sharing
                                                Sharing is the art of living
                                                Living is the art of loving
                                                Loving is the art of caring.

        We care for all of you out there, we want to share with each of you, because we will eventually be living among you out there, and we want you to know that we love you. We want and need your help, your understanding, and your participation with us as equals. The greatest momentum in life is developed by saying ‘yes’ to opportunities to make ourselves useful to someone else. Don’t spend your precious time asking  “Why isn’t the world a better place?”  It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is, “How can I make it better?” To that question, there is an answer.