A friend commented on my post “The Bond” mentioning the human element of the people on the wrong side of the law. I wanted to share my response to her with all of you and expanded it a bit for this post:
Yes, there is always a story and sometimes the stories are heart-breaking. If all that a youngster has ever seen is modeling of terrible behaviors, the odds are very long that they will grow up and do anything differently.
It has been my experience dealing with hundreds of men in various trainings over the years that the toughest nuts to crack often have some of the biggest hearts. They develop a fierce persona to protect themselves from further pain.
When they “go fierce” and are met by fierce love, magic often occurs–-a thing so beautiful that my eyes are filling up just thinking about it.
A buddy actually goes into the hardest-core prisons as an unpaid volunteer to try to help change the futures of as many of those men as he can. I honor his courage and dedication to men who society has largely written off.
Russ
Russ Towne's A Grateful Man 
“the toughest nuts to crack often have some of the biggest hearts”
I have found that to be true as well. Most of the friends I have who have struggled with addiction etc, are actually extremely sensitive and feeling individuals who were just never taught the appropriate way to deal with those feelings and therefore turned towards destructive coping mechanisms instead.
The more we come to realize this, the more we can keep people from falling through those same cracks! Thank you for the insightful words, Russ!
Andrea
“The more we come to realize this, the more we can keep people from falling through those same cracks!”
A very worthy goal, Andrea. One where everyone wins. Thank you!
Russ
Have you ever read the book “Change or die”? One of the stories in the book (the whole book is based on the premise that everyone can change) There’s a lady named Mimi, I believe, who works with one percenters from prison (sociopaths) and has great success. By boss left it on my desk once, leaving me to wonder what he was trying to tell me hahaha. But it’s a great book and I think you and your readers might enjoy it. http://www.amazon.com/Change-Die-Three-Keys-Work/dp/0060886897
Thank you for the book suggestion, Diana. I plan to keep my eye out for it. The book sounds fascinating.
Russ
I love this post. Kindness in the face of judgement and adversity is such a true gift.
Thank you, MoJo.
Russ
People like your buddy are amazing…………..
http://jo-annemotherandnanna.blogspot.com.au/
Indeed he is and they are. Thank you for your comment, Jo-Anne.
Russ