Within the stark confines of prison, where notions of decency, love, care and simple joys often vanish, hope can feel like a distant memory. For those locked away, it’s a landscape of abandonment and despair, a place where even the presence of God seems improbable. Yet, among those unforgiving walls, I discovered an unexpected source of solace and divine guidance.
Weekly visits at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) were a blend of joy and anguish. Each moment spent with my daughter, limited to a mere 50 minutes a week, was bittersweet—brief hugs offered fleeting comfort before the ache of separation settled in again and again.
In this emotional turmoil, a seemingly ordinary item—a Halls candy—became more than just a temporary break. It started as my only source of refreshment before facing the heart-wrenching truth: being confined while my 15-year-old daughter needed me the most.
One day, while waiting for the elevator to take me to the visitation room, I absentmindedly unwrapped the candy, idly playing with the wrapper. Looking down, the wrapper bore messages that spoke directly to my spirit: “Nothing you can’t handle,” “Power through!” and “Buckle down and push forth!”
Those messages became my lifeline. “You can do it and you know it!,” “Hi-five yourself,” “Take charge and mean it,” “Fire up those engines!,” “You’ve survived tougher,” “Get back in the game,” “Get through it,” “Put your game face on.,” “Dust off and get up,” “Don’t wait to get started,” “Don’t give up on yourself,” “Turn “can do” in “can did”, ”Be unstoppable.”
I started collecting the wrappers and saving them for my daughter. A forbidden act in a place where we were thoroughly searched, but these small slips of paper tucked into my breast pocket escaped notice. They became our sanctuary, a symbol of divine guidance and protection in the midst of our trials.
Years later, during this Christmas week, my daughter revealed to me a collection of seemingly insignificant papers tucked away in her old wallet. To my surprise, they were those very candy wrappers—our silent guardians that had comforted, supported, and sustained us with hope during our darkest times.
In this blessed moment, tears streamed down my face as I realized the profound significance of those humble wrappers. They weren’t just papers; they were beacons of hope, reminders of divine protection present even in the confines of a prison cell.
As I reflect on this journey, I am filled with gratitude for the strength and resilience that guided us through those trying times. They transformed mere “can do” into resounding “can did.”
This Christmas, my celebration extends beyond the holiday spirit. It embraces the continuing presence of divine protection, which lives on to sustain and make us stronger, instilling an unwavering belief in a brighter future despite any adversities we may face.
