Attitude for the Latitude
Prison has been beneficial on a lot of levels for me. One benefit is that it has put me in a mode of being mentally intense and serious 24/7. It forces me to be aware, analytical, and critical of all my daily words and actions. I’ve trained myself to stay focused on my personal mission in life. I think it all stems from a major unspoken rule back here and that is to mind 100% of your business 100% of the time. I’ll be sure to carry that motto with me outside of these walls.
It is game day every day for me. It is judgment day every moment of every day. It is only one way to play the game of life, and that is to play to win. Winning is a way of life. Winning is the only way. I no longer recognize or identify with the poor mentalities or mind states of the universe. I study hard, train hard, eat hard, sleep hard, vision big, think big, act big, and yet I still walk and talk with a sense of humility and peace. I’m so sincere people. I am so serious.
I crushed my mother’s heart when I came here. She was devastated on so many emotional and psychological levels. I can remember watching her cry in the courtroom as I was sentenced. I can never remember feeling like a bigger failure. That memory and those feelings will always inspire, motivate, and keep me on my grind. This cannot be the last memory of me. I will not allow it. I let down a lot of people including myself, but there is nothing that compares to letting your mother down. She deserves more. She did and still does a lot for me on so many levels. In saying that, I want to thank prison for breeding the attitude to reach new latitudes.
March 17, 2009 at 6:09 pm
What’s up man,
This is the first time I have ever sent anything to someone in prison. So I just want to say that it is cool that you have a new outlook on life, but I don’t know if it is appropriate for you to be talking about it. You and I are nearly the same age separated by about a year.
I have also been in some trouble (a couple trips to jail), not as serious as the trouble you are in. So I respect and understand the struggle to go from a life of crime, drugs, guns, whatever to playing it cool, and staying away from the triggers that can be harmful to our lives. I have much respect for you if you are able to maintain this new life.
The trouble is that you are talking about it like an accomplishment. People like you and I that did not fly in a straight line the first time, do not get to bragg, as we are catching up the rest of the flock. We simply need to keep our heads up our eyes focused and move forward. Good luck in the future.
March 17, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Maurice,
I have to admit, I was shocked by the outcome of your college football career and your decisions that followed concerning your quest to overturn the laws of the NFL and become eligible through forcible entry. You were a talented young man that simply lacked the support, mentally or spiritually, to help you keep it all in order, which is needed to attain dreams for anyone. At the time, i was surprised by your reaction to lifes challenges, but soon realized after knowing a little about your upbringing and lack of a Father figure in your life; that there was a cause for your breakdown that many in life could learn from. I recently learned through my church, World Harvest Church and Jack Johnson that you were beginning to understand what life is all about and i encourage you to keep fighting for your life and never forget that life is not over for you. And most importantly, your life story could open the eyes of thousands of kids and help prevent for them what occurred in your life. I’m currently writing a book about the Dream of God, subtitled, The foundation of TRUTH-The pathway to fulfillment and how the world system undermines or influences the children of today, which contributes to the loss of individual dreams and the hardships of life. If your interested in expanding on your story and shedding light on your life to help others out of darkness, let me know. Or i encourage you to ask God how this experience can prevent the missteps of so many others in life, to help establish all your other dreams of success. Your a good man for accepting responsiblity and establishing within your mind that you can still achieve in life through something far superior to what the world has to offer. Your an inspiration, don’t forget that! God Bless You.
March 18, 2009 at 8:11 am
Great message and wonderful blog. You are aspiring a lot of people. Stay strong and goodluck in the future
March 31, 2009 at 7:43 am
just got back from cuba at midnight and read your letter. will write to you soon. we will find a way to get things done. more later, bob