Visitation

Since I have been at Bastrop my children and grandchildren have visited me almost every weekend! I sort of feel bad that they have come so often. Why you ask? ... Well ... I remember when I was starting out my sentence, in Colorado, that all I could think of was getting closer to home so I could see my family. I also remember an old con telling telling me that I should NOT try to transfer closer to home for the simple reason that ... being close to home puts pressure on your family to go and visit ... and that it is human nature for them to begin to feel guilty, if they don't. He also told me that IF I was close to home and they didn't come to visit as often as I think they should, that it would begin to work on me from the inside and that "I" would begin to resent them for it. I don't see any of that happening, but, if it did ... well, it's a classical lose-lose situation, that's how he described it.

So, here I am, getting way more visits than I ever have in the past (remember, I'm closer to home). 

I am very grateful for my visits, but I am beginning to worry ... I don't want my family to feel the pressure that Talkin' Dave told me about some twenty-five years ago, like they have to come out of some sense of duty ... I want them to know that they owe me nothing except the acknowledgement that I am their father, nothing more. 

I love my family. More than I love God (just being honest here). In fact, I would die for any one of them. I would donate my heart if needed. And, I appreciate these visits, I do.
I love seeing them and hearing about all their crazy life experiences ... But I worry that I am becoming a burden.

Yes, I have expressed this to them. How could I not. They just laugh. "You see Pop. There's this sushi bar in Austin that we all like. So we drive over to see you, then we go eat sushi. So it's not a problem. We'd be driving that way if you weren't here"... that's what they say. There it is. 

Crazy part about all this is: I can't stand SUSHIE!!! lol. I guess that's what you call an irony.

Much love and wishes for you and yours to have a happy year 2026.

Perdurabo. Mark

 

FCI  Bastrop, Texas 1-2-2026