Transcript of a letter to my nephew Chase in prison, handwritten per regulations:
Charles Ogan #01642101 Estelle Unit S.A.F.P. 264 FM 3478, Huntsville, Texas 77320

Dear Chase,

Hello dear nephew. Your mom gave me your address. I have been thinking about you even though we have not been in touch for a while. The last time we were together was in Boerne earlier this year (was it in February?) at your first sentencing when the decision was postponed. We did not get to talk then, but even before that, when I visited at your mom's house, we never talked much then either except once or twice. After your final sentencing, you were transferred around to various places and meanwhile I moved too. Now I have landed in a small college town called Pullman in eastern Washington state. I live a quiet retired life here in an unfurnished apartment on the edge of a prairie of wheat hills.

My life is so quiet and regular that it might resemble your routine except that I do have access to Internet, but that doesn't really change the essential fact of living alone in solitude. I am probably more solitary than you are. My neighbors in my university apartment complex do not visit me and everyone goes home for the holidays. I do not have any friends in this town. Lately I have begun to do some volunteer work at the front desk of the hospital over on the other side of town, guiding people who come in for appointments like pre-op, but I have not actually made any personal friends to hang out with. It does not bother me too much. The more a person wants something such as companionship with a friend, the more he suffers when it doesn't happen. If he is lucky enough to find a friend, then he may worry that it will not last since nothing lasts in this life. So little by little I have scaled back my expectations while getting older (68 now).

Of course you are still young with probably a long life ahead of you and much to look forward to, so my solitary retirement may not be relevant to you. You are welcome to ask me more about it later if you want to.

Just a word about freedom, though, now that your current life is so restricted. To me, freedom does not mean freedom to do just whatever someone may want to do. That is a physical kind of freedom but it is not real inner freedom. Real inner freedom is freedom from having to react slavishly to desires and dislikes which drag one around like a ring in the nose of a bull. To obtain this kind of real inner freedom and self mastery requires developing habits of self restraint. Self restraint means do not harm anyone, do not take what is not given, do not allow unchaste thoughts, words or actions, do not speak untruthfully and do not chase after intoxicants and sensual pleasures. When that kind of real inner freedom is developed by self restraint, you will not be a helpless captive of your desires. You will be a free man, not affected by whatever may happen in the world, even if you are locked in prison, and you will sleep well at night with a peaceful mind.

Hoping to see you later, free and happy, your uncle Willis 12/12/2010
willis@jwleaf.org
1620 NE Northwood Dr Apt F303
Pullman WA 99163 homepage jwleaf.org voice: 928-380-2347