I had an idea. A grand vision.   It came to me on the treadmill.   Over the last five or six months, I’ve started running without any headphones, phone, TV, watch, or other form of entertainment. I just run. I let my mind wander. It’s wonderful.   This idea was my best yet. I was certain of it.   We’d gotten approval from one prison’s warden to begin a new beekeeping program. My mom made room in the budget for us to purchase supplies and start in the spring. The men were extremely excited,...

They came bounding down the walkway.   “HORTICULTUREEEEEE, HORTICULTUREEEEEE,” they called out.   I hadn’t seen the boys in two weeks. They were eager to be back in class. The previous two classes had been cancelled due to a medical emergency and a statewide lockdown. We were all happy to be back in the classroom.   As the boys come running to class, I stand by the door and “dap” them up. It’s the highlight of my Tuesday, these small check-ins with them. That Tuesday, one student had a huge...

Pain poured off the pages. Hopes and fears and dreams written in black ink and graphite, scrawled on pieces of torn composition paper.   The more I read, the more I regretted giving the assignment. Their hurt was becoming my hurt, their fears my own. But I had to push through. They’d done the work; it was my duty to grade it. Reading their responses, I knew I couldn’t just stamp a letter grade on the cover page and move along. I had to do more.   I opened up my laptop and opened Word. My own...