HOY DESPUES DE QUE MI HIJA Y YO DIERAMOS GRACIAS A DIOS POR TODO LO BUENO Y NO TAN BUENO, NO SE PORQUE MI ESPOSO AFSHIN ENAYATI ME ENVIO ESTE REORTE QUE ENCONTRO Y SOLO ME DICE PUBLIQUELO SU HERMANO NO MERECE SER OLVIDADO. PORFA LEERLO TODO PARA QUE CONOSCAN UN POQUITO MAS A ESTE EXECELENTE SER HUMANO. Wednesday, July 2, 2014 Three Valuable Life Lessons from World Cup 2014 Guest post by my friend Gons Nachman who was wrongfully convicted in a seriously flawed and unfair trial, and is now serving time: I am a native Costa Rican and US citizen currently serving an unjust federal prison sentence. A few months ago, the World Soccer Cup lottery resulted in Costa Rica having to play three former world champions and soccer powerhouses: Italy, England and Uruguay. Other Latino inmates at this prison facility expected Costa Ricas team to be humiliated because its en el grupo de la muerte (the group of death). I confess that I was also concerned about what the young Costa Rican players would face in Brazil. To everyones surprise, however, the Ticos have displayed fearless courage and determination in facing soccers giants. They won or drew all of their games, and, after eking out a dramatic victory over Greece, secured a coveted spot among the 8 finalists! Irrespective of the eventual results in this tournament, these players positive attitude against all odds serves as a powerful source of inspiration. When I received a cruel 20 year federal prison sentence in August 2008, over false allegations made against me in the Congo -- allegations I could not fairly contest from a prison cell where I lacked access to evidence from that isolated African country -- I could have broken down and drowned in fear and pessimism. After all, as a Costa Rican native of humble background, I lacked the resources to contest an unjust judicial process orchestrated against me by certain members of US government, the most powerful entity on earth. Yet like the young Costa Rican players, I decided to face my worst fears and make the most of my unexpected situation with faith and a positive attitude. Over the past six and a half years of incarceration, I have learned many valuable lessons that have changed my life for the best. I have been given the opportunity to live with vulnerable men of all ages and to see their daily struggles to cope with a myriad of challenges inside and outside of prison. Most of them are serving unnecessarily long sentences - for mostly non-violent crimes - which only serve to isolate them further from their families, their communities and society at large. 1. Avoid Being Judgmental. Instead of judging them for mistakes they may have made, I have chosen to treat them as human beings and to assist them in any way I can. As a former human rights lawyer and US consular officer, I have previously visited incarcerated people in the US and abroad. While it is ironic that now I am incarcerated, my past experience has nonetheless given me valuable skills in understanding and coping with the needs of incarcerated people. 2. Contribute to the Well-Being of Others. Prisons are places where negativity and pessimism abound and hope and compassion are in short supply. As such, one can make significant contributions to the well-being of others by simply serving as a source of support, encouragement and kindness. Despite the macho attitude that serves to hide the deep-seated insecurities of most prisoners, I do not hesitate to publicly hug other inmates and to treat them with affection. Perhaps, I can get away with this due to my Costa Rican background and friendly disposition. I have also used my academic skills and human rights experience to work as an ESL, GED and Spanish teacher, a track coach, and an unofficial mentor to particularly vulnerable inmates. These activities have given me the opportunity to contribute to the education and well-being of inmates who one day will have to re-adapt to life in the outside world. In this prison, I am known as Costa Rica, which is quite appropriate, since my friendly, upbeat and relaxed attitude is typical of most Ticos whose typical greeting is pura vida (pure life). Soon after my arrival at this facility, I realized that remaining positive, despite the hardships of long-term incarceration, was essential to my well-being and to that of my loved ones. I also noticed that instead of complaining - which is the norm with inmates who suffer all sorts of emotional problems - I could focus on the many blessings in my life; a loving family, loyal friends, good health and a life filled with academic, professional, and athletic opportunities as well as world-wide travel. Additionally, focusing on the positive while remaining optimistic, helps uplift the energy or vibes all around me, something that is sorely needed in a prison environment. 3. Rise to the Challenge. I have also learned how it is precisely from challenges and adversities that one matures, learns and evolves mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Like the Costa Rican soccer team in Brazil, I have faced a situation in which others expected capitulation and failure. Instead, like the young Tico players, I have used my heart and determination to face my worst fears and find that I can continue to experience joy and make a difference even in the midst of a challenging prison setting. Although all of us are bound to face unexpected challenges of all sorts in our lives - challenges that may initially look as hopeless as the group of death in which Costa Rica initially found itself in this World Cup - it is ultimately up to us to transcend our fears and seize the moment with courage and determination. After all, what counts most is not always the end result of a situation, but our intent, our efforts and the lessons we learn from the process. Through this experience, I have also learned that, even when one does not understand the ultimate meaning of an event or situation, in a larger spiritual sense, everything always does
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 18:15:18 +0000
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