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Lets Just Talk About It Podcast with Chuck
This Podcast is geared toward giving people a platform to share their personal story because so many people have a story, but they have nowhere to share it, but they do now, it's called Let's just talk about it Podcast because I believe every voice matters!
Lets Just Talk About It Podcast with Chuck
Rebuilding Life After Incarceration
We confront the harsh realities of reintegration, discussing the emotional and societal barriers faced when transitioning back into society. Carrying the label of a convicted felon comes with profound struggles—limited employment opportunities, societal rejection, and the emotional toll of lost time. Despite these hurdles, our conversation shines a light on the importance of supportive re-entry programs and communities that believe in second chances. We share our personal battles with stigma and the need for opportunities to prove our worth as reformed individuals.
Our discussion takes a reflective turn as we ponder the advice we would offer our younger selves. Chris underscores the necessity of self-belief and focus, Tony shares his journey of overcoming obstacles through determination and spirituality, and Steve reflects on the sage advice he wishes he had followed from his mother. Our past experiences have molded us into compassionate individuals dedicated to aiding others in similar struggles. We close with a powerful message about the courage and faith required to pursue a better life, reinforced by the resilient spirit of Romans 8. Listen in for an inspiring conversation that underscores the critical role of communication and support among men.
Hey, welcome back to let's Just Talk About it podcast. I'm your host, chuck, and, if you're here for the first time, this platform was created to give genuine people just like you an opportunity to share a portion of your life's journey. So, with that being said, I decided to go back to the archives and pull out this amazing conversation that I had with my good friends Antonio Morgan, stephen Bethea and Chris Valentine, where we talked about our journey through the prison system and how it was when we got out of the prison system. So, hey, you don't want to miss this conversation today. As a matter of fact, do me a favor Go and grab your husband, your wife, your children, or even call a friend and gather around to listen to my conversation with Steve, chris and Tony on let's Just Talk About it podcast.
Speaker 3:Hey, let's jump right in. I have three guys who I call my brothers today on let's Just Talk About it. I have Tony Morgan from episode number four, I have Steve Bethea and I have Chris Valentine all my brothers and I want to thank you guys for being a part of this episode. Our whole friendship started at a prison called Camp 4 in Baskerville, virginia, where we all served prison time, but now we've all been blessed to have another chance to be free on the outside, and thank you guys, thank you guys. As always, I love to jump right into my interview, so I want to start with you, steve, to tell the listeners a little bit about yourself, in terms of where you're from and what you're up to now.
Speaker 4:Well, I'm originally from Newport News, virginia. I currently reside in Clayton, north Carolina, which is right near Clayton, and right now I work as a district manager with Pizza Hut Okay.
Speaker 3:What about you, Chris? Tell the listeners about yourself.
Speaker 1:I'm currently residing in Durham, north Carolina. I was born and raised in Henderson, north Carolina, which is about 30 minutes from here. I'm now a what I do for a living. I'm an owner-operator, I own a trucking company business and I'm trying to raise a family as well. That's what I'm doing now.
Speaker 3:Got you. We all know my man, Tony Morgan. You want to say something, Tony, about yourself again.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm here as a repeat visitor on your show, which I'm grateful for. I hail from Petersburg, virginia. I'm in transition between Virginia and North Carolina, pursuing my education background and also hoping to start a nonprofit, so that's what I'm in the process of doing.
Speaker 3:Got you, man, appreciate you guys. I wanted to have this particular episode because I wanted to have a real, genuine conversation with some real men, so the listening audience can know that men can have conversations too. So, guys, picture yourselves at a table at a restaurant. We're eating together, we're having a whole lot of fun. Man, we're just having a general conversation. And one of the main reasons also I wanted to have this conversation is that I'm realizing that we're losing that ability to have communication, that real communication, and therefore, as men, we tend to hold a lot of stuff in to the point that it comes out sometimes in a lot of different negative ways. So I want to talk about, first of all, the importance of communication. Can anybody speak to that? How important is communication to you as a man?
Speaker 4:Well, I'll go first. I think, just like women, when they get together they are able to talk about things that women go through, and men need to do the same Sometimes. You know, we, as men, we tend to hold our feelings in or our thought processes in because, you know, coming up we've been. You know, some of us have been taught not all of us, but some of us have been taught that men are always, you know, we're always the rock, we're always the strong ones, and that you know showing any signs of weakness, you know we're always the rock, we're always the strong ones, and that you know. Showing any signs of weakness, you know it isn't good.
Speaker 3:Right, you want to jump in Tone. Tell us what you think about communication.
Speaker 2:You know communication is key. You know that's one of the primal needs of humanity and in today's society, you know, we feel as men, that we have behind stigmas how men are supposed to be and yet there are men suffering silently, you know, because we live behind a veil of machoism. You know, when we come together we can take back information. You know that we can take back for our families, our business, our personal life, our spiritual life, and I think communication is key. I think men coming together and just putting it on the table, you know, allows everybody to be on an equal playing ground and say that we don't have it together, you know. So we're here combining information and experience to find out. You know, we can find some answers and solutions to what we're going through, wow.
Speaker 1:What, what you think, chris? Um, I, I concur with the guys. Man, I, um, you know my wife, she's a therapist. So you know I'm huge, yeah, I'm talking, and, um, I mean she's, she more so driven than I mean, more than more so than I used to be? Um, now, I, I know that sharing is so important because, um, you know, we talk about out of mind's devil workshop, yeah, but also either thoughts are as well. So if you really don't know what your partner we're talking about, just relationships, what they're thinking, you know you can easily um, have the wrong idea about something because you may or may not have actually expressed you know what, the real situation, what, what's really happening, right? So, yeah, I'm huge on communication. Now, man, I know when we do communicate, we can do a lot by just sharing with one another I like what you said, steve man.
Speaker 3:Sometimes, you know, we've been taught not to talk and we hold a lot of stuff in, so I'm learning the importance of of communication, just just just being yourself and just communicating, that you don't have to put on no airs, you don't have to be nobody else, but just be yourself and just talk. You know, that's where this whole thing came about. Um, let's just talk about it. Let's just talk about it because I wanted to create a platform where genuine people can come, just like you guys, and just share and talk about real life issues, you know. So that's what this whole platform is about, man. So again, I thank you guys. So I have a lot of conversations about the experience of a prison. So, chris, tell me your experience, how you got to that prison term, what led me to committing a crime.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's basically what you yeah. Well, man, I would say um more of uh influence right than anything else. Um, I was brought up in a pretty good upbringing yeah I'm single parent but father lived down the street.
Speaker 1:You know, I had grandparents, I had people that supported me. I I had a good environment that I raised up in. However, because of some friends and more peer pressure and, um, I I was I won't necessarily say fitting in because I was already a part of a group, but I was more swayed when I started seeing what the guys were doing, you know, as far as from hustling to robbing, to just the money, and I felt like I could get away with it because they were getting away with it. And then I tried it with them because they kept saying, man, it's easy money. So I tried that and we got away with it a few times and after that, ultimately, you know, we got, we got, we got caught, got arrested and you know that's a whole, nother long story.
Speaker 1:But, that's how. That's how I happened.
Speaker 3:How much time did you do?
Speaker 1:I did 13 years and 10 months. Got you Almost 14 years, wow.
Speaker 3:Hey Steve, if you don't mind, tell the listening audience how you know you ended up in Camp 4 with all the rest of us.
Speaker 4:Well, hey, you know, the thing is like Chris said. There's a lot of myths that you know. Most people that come to prison they sort of had like a uh, they came up in a rough upbringing, right you know, just like chris, you know I was brought up by a single mother and you know she taught me right from wrong. You know, and, um, you know, eventually you get out there and you know you're going to start experiencing and experimenting with, uh, different things and you need new people and and you know people have, uh, certain influences on you with me.
Speaker 4:You know I was more so dealing with the white collar crimes, stuff like that. I did some breaking some, some what they call bne's, breaking the entrance and you know, forging some checks and stuff like that. And you know, just like most you know young men, you know you get away with it once and get away with it twice. So you think you know, you think you're kind of untouchable, so you know I just kept doing it and then eventually I end up getting caught and you know the rest is history. You know, but I I do like what chris said you know about his upbringing, because every, all of us, or all people that that you know come become incarcerated don't always come up in a rough upbringing.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's not always like that, but you know the world or the society would like to believe that. So you know I ended up doing almost eight and a half years before I got I was blessed. Before I got out I was able to get go on work release. But time is time when you don't have, you know, all of your freedom. But you know, that's how I became involved.
Speaker 3:Your turn, tony, how you know all of your freedom. But you know that's how I became involved. Your turn, tony.
Speaker 2:How did you get to Camp 4? You know that's an eclectic question because I'm going to base it on a truth. You know, for me it was ignorance. You know, ignorance got me there to Camp 4. Ignorance continued two years later when I went to prison again for another seven and a half years. You know, I listened to the gentleman that came before my brothers and we talk about influence.
Speaker 2:The biggest thing was the ignorance to what happens after you commit a crime. You can get so engulfed on trying to stay in the void of the police and getting your money whatever way you can. But I was ignorant about what was going to happen in the courtroom, ignorant about lawyers, ignorant about the law. I was ignorant, you know, and it was to the point that there were people trying to tell me, but I refused to listen. So it led me to making choices based upon my ignorance and that's what landed me in 10-4. I'm guilty, I pleaded guilty in the court of law, but it was my ignorance. You know that I've seen that seems to annihilate young men these days, you know, because we refuse to see another light into truth. So that's what got me there. Wow, yes, sir Got you.
Speaker 3:Okay, let's turn the corner. Okay, we out here. Now we released. So what was the? What was the hardest thing in coming outside, transitioning from there to freedom, that you could, that you can think of being free now, tony.
Speaker 2:You know, I'm going to tell you, the hardest thing for me was wearing that badge as a convicted felon Mm-hmm. Wow, you know, when I speak of ignorance, yeah, that was hard. Yeah, you know, my ignorance was a point. I spent my time bettering myself, you know, and just making myself a prize through a lot of different things and the way things work. But when I came out, it was always the bounds of saying, okay, now you enlightened, so how do you tread? So you can be angry at a system, you know, but the anger comes from within, because now you realize how much time you wasted. So when I look at it, you know I started this at 27. We were in our 20s when we first met and I came home and they were singing me happy 40th birthday.
Speaker 2:So I only had two years on the street at 30 years old and I came home at 40. Now I'm 50 years old. So when I start looking at it, it's a transition to realize wake up and say this is what I made of my life. You know what I'm saying. We can blame it on POs or whatever. It's just that these are some of the scales that you have to have to weigh. You know when you commit these crimes and you get the opportunity to be free again.
Speaker 2:So the hardest thing for me is wearing that shroud of convicted felon, knowing that you can contribute to the community and give back, and finding that leeway or opportunity to do that. That has been one struggle for myself Because, no, we all need someone. I truly believe that people are the true value of commodity. You know what I'm saying. It's not things. People are, and sometimes in the community, when we come back, we don't receive people like that Some of our family members do. But it was me transitioning to the point to say, okay, I served my time. I want to be a productive citizen, but you're not allowing me to do that because you're not giving me an opportunity. You keep saying this is something that happened 20 years ago and you're saying this is why I can't vacuum cars at your dealership, because of the bags. For $8 an hour I was willing to work. I made 23 cents an hour. I was willing to slave. They wouldn't give me an opportunity, right.
Speaker 3:Because of that badge.
Speaker 2:Because of that badge I wore.
Speaker 3:That felony badge yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, felony badge. I went to school. I started going back to school at 40 years old. I got myself, I made the dean's list, twice the president's list. I got on the National Board of Honor for Collegiate Scholars. They invited me there. I could have went to any school. I could have went to Harvard, I could have went anywhere, but because of that felony it eliminated me as a barrier crime to serve in a profession that I knew more from lived experience and also educational knowledge, which has barred me from that profession. Wow, I met the governor, the Senate governor. They told me go. I got my rights restored. But that's telling. That has been a hard thing, man. Wow, yes, sir.
Speaker 3:So, Steve, speak to us about your transition. What was the battles for you in terms of transitioning to freedom?
Speaker 4:The biggest battle for me was primarily starting over. You know, when I came home, a lot of things changed as far as how the city was. You know, things were tore down, Things were rebuilt and for a while I felt like a stranger in my own home because I kind of had to learn certain spots all over again. Yeah right, but my biggest hurdle was, like Tony said, was trying to get a job. You know sometimes, you know, I know they teach us to be honest about you know, your felony- Right.
Speaker 4:You know, and it's been a few times that I did and, like Tony said, because of that badge, you know it's like every you know, you know served your time and it's been 15, 20 years ago. You know you still carrying that bag around your neck saying that you're a felon and they don't want to give you a chance, and most oftentimes, you know people that's been incarcerated. We just want to get back out there and start rebuilding. You know some of us, you know, yeah, we still have that mentality where we want to go out and make that fast money. But you do have that group that you know.
Speaker 4:Okay, I've done this, I'm ready to do this now and to what tony said, that all the time that we we gave to the state yeah in reference to get you know serving time. We can't get that back and get it back. You know we lost. You know, like myself lost. We lost a lot of productive years. You know whether building, building a lifestyle, or you know, like with me, you know I don't have any biological kids, but you know you lose that time and you can't get it back and young people need to realize that you know sometimes they glamorize.
Speaker 4:you glamorize being incarcerated, but they don't really understand the magnitude of what you lose once you're incarcerated and then the reality of when you get back out, because a lot of times you know the Department of Corrections don't really prepare you for re-entry. You know you kind of got to like take that by the horns yourself. You know, take advantage of those classes, those programs or whatever that they have inside. But the world is ever-changing, as we already know. It's ever-changing, so the biggest hurdle was getting out and restarting. Wow.
Speaker 3:So what was yours, Chris? What was your?
Speaker 1:challenge. I can go along with the guys and I really like the way Tony said. I don't think I've never used that term before Permanent Jordan, but that's real, that's real talk, man Shout out to Tony, because you were there.
Speaker 1:You were there. Even though you may not see this scar anymore or you may have been healed from the scar, everyone else still see this scar. You may say, well, man, I can get in the race, I can run just like everyone else, but someone else still is saying, no, you have that scar there. I think I shared with you before, chuck, how I went. You know, went to apply for this certain job and I had a guy that took me to apply for the job. He was selling drugs Me. On the other hand, I was determined to do right and, you know, go and live a productive life. I get in there. They accept his application, but they I was being honest, right, and they told me, no, we don't have, we don't have. So you know, I had so many encounters like that where, you know, I was turned away and, you know, a little bit discouraged and I know, you know, this podcast is for everyone, yes, but I have to say, man, if it wasn't for the grace of God, that's right, right.
Speaker 3:Say that again. If it wasn't for what?
Speaker 1:If it wasn't for the grace of God, absolutely, that encouraged me in my discouragement because, there were days where I was like lord, I just want to get a chance. Yeah, I just want an opportunity, absolutely. That's why and I like the way, tony, you know you want to try to do uh, get a program started for guys.
Speaker 1:Okay, you know you and I talk about it, chuck yeah um, because you have to have people that actually have a heart for me and because it's tough, man, when you come out and if you don't have the right people around you, right, you can easily be derailed, you can be discouraged. Because you can have a plan, you can think you want to do the right thing, but yet because, man, people turn you away. Yeah, you know it can discourage you. So, yes, man, the hardest part for me just like those guys the tony and steve just said is having a felon and, um, just having the opportunity, man, to do what you know you can do, right. So, yeah, that's it. I agree with what is everything they're saying?
Speaker 3:man, yes, yeah I think for mine it was starting over. Um, I was blessed to have my dad already working in a particular spot, so I was like I called him before I came home because I was like, man, I'm making 23 cents and I started thinking about what if I make $10 an hour?
Speaker 2:I started counting on my fingers.
Speaker 4:I said man.
Speaker 3:I said can I get a job? And he made it happen. So when I came home I started working, like three days later, on the night shift, man, but one of the craziest things, like you said, steve, things change. And it was something on the counter at my mom and dad's house and it was something like a satellite. I thought it was a DVD player. So that's how much time I had missed. I'm thinking I'm like, how can you open this? But it was for the cable, but I had missed so much time, man, so much time.
Speaker 3:And things change, change. You got these phones and all that kind of stuff. So starting over was one of the biggest things. Do y'all think, um, because these programs I want to talk about, this program you're talking about too, chris and and tony, but do you think that's the reason why there's a revolving door sometimes, that people really don't want to go back to prison, but they, they have nowhere else to go? I had family, we had family, but a lot of people don't have that family, they don't have anywhere to go. So do you think that's a big issue, tony?
Speaker 2:I'm a speak candidate, you know. I just want to give a quote on prison policy dot org. You know it states that African-Americans make up 13 percent but there's over 38 percent of black persons in jail. So when I started thinking about my whole trip, I got to stay with Chris, if it wasn't for the grace of God.
Speaker 2:So when I look at the program, some of these programs are aesthetically there but they're not there to reach, because you have people who are educated but yet have a stigma towards the ones they're trying to help. So they can look book-wise to understand it and statistically, but they don't understand the demographics because some people are coming back into the same situation that brought them into the system in the first place. So when we start to get into these systems, I look at it to the point that it's an awakening for everyone, because you know all of our shared experiences. Whether you're a parole officer, police officer, law enforcement, we should work together and we should use the experiences of men who have gone there, who have a heart for men, that they can come to a conclusion and say how can we make it better?
Speaker 2:You know the system is there to set up, you know to be proactive, but it's also there for people to fall through the cracks, is also there for people to fall through the cracks, and that's something that we always have to continue to work on, because as long as we're people, there's always going to be crime. It just goes back to the one that we keep people from the recidivism rate and start giving people opportunities. And one thing I believe in the program is in the welcoming of the community, because you're going to be welcomed by your loved ones, but no one. A lot of people from the community don't come back and say, hey. A lot of people from the community don't come back and say, hey, I got a loaf of bread. Here's a turkey, you know, welcome home.
Speaker 3:I don't know what you need. They don't do that. Yeah, no, no.
Speaker 2:No, no, but as soon as someone breaks the law and it happens to that person, then it's a problem.
Speaker 3:You know what?
Speaker 2:I'm saying but there are a lot of people. I'm not negating the fact that there are people who want to have another chance at life and I think some of the programs need to work with people who have gone that way and have good intentions.
Speaker 3:So. So, chris, I want to. I want to speak about the program you mentioned, a program called inside out. I want, I want you to mention that on the platform, man, because you know, you never know. If you mentioned that, you never know what could happen.
Speaker 1:So I want you to speak a little bit about lblc, which is letting brother love continue, and it, um, the thought came from in the passage out of hebrews, where you know hebrews 13, 1 through 3, absolutely verse 3, where it talks about remembering them that are bound, as though you're bound with them. And um, you know, I was going into the, you know the halfway houses and the? Um, some of the federal prisons and even the? Um some of the? Um low custody prison here in raleigh and um, you know, as far as I didn't get the funding, but still we had some traction, we had some movement. Right, we're trying to see guys.
Speaker 1:But I think one of the main things that I think, as Tony said, most time the people that do have these programs in place, they have been funded, but they really just get numbers.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to say everyone have these programs in place, they have been funded, but they, they, they really just get numbers. I don't. I'm not gonna say everyone, I'm not negating that that all the programs are not really geared toward actually seeing transformation, but, um, a lot of them they really don't know how to to really see someone all the way through. Yeah, and I say that because, man, I think one of the key things that I wanted to try to, um, you know, imparting people or people that were running programs, was being transparent, being honest about each individual case. Right, because every case is not the same. Everyone don't have the same background and, as Tony said earlier, and I believe Steve as well, even though you may have the support of family and everything because I had everything in place when I came on Support family, everyone. But again, I say, man, I was determined, I was determined to do right.
Speaker 1:I was determined to try to make some of my life. You can have guys that have some determination, but, man, if they're not persistent, if they, you know, trying to push this thing all the way through, they can, you know go back or fall back, or revert back. That's why I like the word they use recidivism. Because, man, if you're not, if you, you know, I use my three p's, you know purpose, passion and being persistent I like it, then you can easily, uh, revert back to what you used to know.
Speaker 1:So, um, I'm strong on the programs man, I'm strong on trying to assist when they come home, but I believe that we definitely have to talk about each individual case, because everyone's different.
Speaker 3:Got you, Tony. You have a program as well, right, yeah, the program.
Speaker 2:I'm praying it be up before the first of the year. You know it's there for community awareness and bridging gaps in communities. So you know my goal for the nonprofit is to be that leeway, or navigate people who need services, you know, even if it's for people who are coming home from prison or people who are stuck, you know, in the day-to-day hustles, you know, without food, shelter, education, different programs, work opportunities, it's just a place for the community to come and so my plan is to catch the ones that fall through the system. So you know I'm not going to hold the system accountable, because now my accountability comes to the point, because I have purpose.
Speaker 2:So you know, when I look at my prison experience, a lot of people ask me they said do you regret that? Like it's the worst thing? I was like no, no, I don't. Prison gave me an opportunity to find myself Right. I couldn't get it right the first time, so I needed some more time. I thank God for that, for putting me on the shelf so I can attain some things about self, self and understand just going out, you know, saying into the world. So you know it all depends how you look at a prison experience. You know, sometimes we get in the worst place. But you know, sometimes if we're forced to have another chance at life, we should take it and not take it so lightly, absolutely.
Speaker 3:Steve, you have something in mind that you were thinking of doing in terms of helping people to transition out.
Speaker 4:Well, I've talked me and chris have talked a couple of times.
Speaker 4:Yeah, um, to my own fault, I just allow my job to to dominate too much and uh, you know, believe it or not, I really have an issue with that because my passion is to help other people, man, because I I know what it's like when you, you know, when you get out of prison, right, you don't have that correct mindset, you don't have that correct support system.
Speaker 4:When I got out, believe it or not, none of the guys never knew this, but I drew my energy of staying out and trying to do the right thing off of them because I saw them, like our brother Chester, when I got out, he was already doing his thing, he was in construction, he was meeting people and this, that and the other, and, right, you know, chris got out and his life was going in the right direction. So there were times where you know you do try to find jobs and you keep getting knocked down, and you know your mind does take you to that, that space where to man, I can make me some fast money. But then you know you have you have to think of those consequences of your actions. You know, and you know, as far as me, man, I'm just looking for an opportunity that I feel that I probably have to make myself diving in there and contacting some people, man, and getting involved.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, it's easy to get distracted out. Here too, it's easy to get distracted by so many things. You have a passion for the do things, but there's so many things coming at you. You got to work. If you don't work, you don't eat.
Speaker 3:So you got to make sure you do that first and make other things happen, so not going to hold you guys up. Man, I really appreciate this conversation. This is the first one, so it's going to be hopefully many more we're going to have. But before we go, I love to ask this question and I want to start with you, chris. So what would you say to your younger self today if you had the opportunity to go back in time to say something?
Speaker 1:Oh man, oh, that's, that's, that's that's loaded.
Speaker 4:What would I? Say yeah, it is.
Speaker 1:I would first tell myself you have everything you need to follow your dreams. Because I mean, I'm not just being cliche, I was about to go to the military. I mean I was doing everything that a normal, because you guys have to understand now. I was incarcerated 18, 19 years old, wow, and I didn't come home until I was I know Tony mentioned his 30s I didn't see a day of 30, none on the outside. So I would have to tell my young self then man, you have everything you need. Yeah, stay in school, um, go to military, whatever, whatever you know, I was trying to just, you just just stay focused, you, you're not missing anything, you don't have to fit in and, um, that's it, man, that's what I would tell myself so, Chris, you mean to tell me you was going to the military.
Speaker 3:Well, you know.
Speaker 1:I'm messing with you. Yeah, I had choices, man. You know, I had choices. Yes, sir, yes.
Speaker 3:Hey Tony. What would you tell your younger self? What would you tell your younger self if you had the opportunity?
Speaker 2:If you allow me to say this, and I'll get to it I'm going to be very brief, okay.
Speaker 2:You know, when we talk about our experiences and for anyone who's listening, you know I came home I slept on three different people's couches for three years, no license, couldn't afford my court fines, couldn't see my kids because I didn't have a job to pay child support, so I didn't have the courage to go to court. You know, I was without a license for about, I guess, eight years until they passed the law. I worked, I slept in an admission and I slept in shelters and I was just so determined that I wasn't going back to prison, not for ignorance. So there are people who are going to come out and I just say to yourself, the person that's coming out, to those conditions, don't give up, man, just find yourself and be isolated you know what I'm saying and work on a plan and definitely find a spiritual base. What I would tell myself, if I can go back, I wouldn't have changed a thing because I wouldn't have listened to me anyway. So I would have told them.
Speaker 3:I love this guy, I love him.
Speaker 2:I'm going to go listen, bro, because, see, I'm one of them guys that had to figure this out on my own. So what I tell self every day above ground, god has a purpose for you. You just got to hold on because there's a blessing in the mesh, yeah, yeah. So that's what I would tell. That's what I would tell self. Yes, sir.
Speaker 3:What would you?
Speaker 4:say to self, steve, I think Tony really just said it best man because he's keeping it real.
Speaker 4:You know we all seem, know we had to learn, you know, but, um, if I had to say anything, I probably would say I would listen to. You know what my mother was trying to school me on a lot of times. You know from her own experience. She, you know she was raising a young man. But you know she gave me some, some street, some street wisdom, yeah, and some some. And you know, I just wish I would have listened a little bit more and made smarter decisions. But, like Tony said, you know when you look back at it.
Speaker 2:I wouldn't listen.
Speaker 4:Wouldn't listen.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I wouldn't listen. Copy that man Copy that I don't think I would have either.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, Right right.
Speaker 3:That's a good point. Shout out to tony, because I I ain't even listening to the parents. I know I wouldn't listen to me.
Speaker 3:Yep, yep, there it is wow and if you, if you think about it, man, maybe everything that we did go through made us into the men we are, to have a heart for other men. You know, had we not gone through those seasons of ups and downs, perhaps we wouldn't have that compassion to have these programs to reach back to help somebody else who's incarcerated and coming out. So, but I like what you said, tony. Shout out to you again, tony, for saying we wouldn't have listened. No way, hey, this is what it's all about.
Speaker 3:Hey, this is what it's all about, man Having these conversations. We can laugh, we can have fun, and that's what this is all about. On, let's Just Talk About it Again. Thank y'all so much, man, for being a part of this episode. I can't wait to have y'all back. It's going to be a whole lot of fun. Thank you once again, mr Valentine, Mr Bethea and Mr Morgan. Thank y'all for having me Appreciate y, mr Bethea and Mr Morgan.
Speaker 3:Thank y'all for having me appreciate y'all, man before we go. Thank you, man before we go. Is there anything you want to say to the listening audience before we sign off?
Speaker 2:what I want to say is this you know, always say this there should be no disillusion for where we live. And if you're going to pursue a life of crime, educate yourself. You make your own life choices, but for those who teeter on that line, there is another life out there. Sometimes it just takes courage, faith and sustainability to go out and face those and get what you want in this life. Love it, that's all I'd like to leave you. Yes, sir.
Speaker 3:Anything you want to say, Steve, before we sign off.
Speaker 4:Well, one of my favorite scriptures, Romans 8,. It talks about all things work together for the good of those that love the Lord, and even incarcerations, even trials and tribulations all those things work towards the good. So for those that find themselves in some hardship, it's going to be okay. Just stay strong and keep the faith and keep moving forward. Wow, I love it.
Speaker 1:What about you, chris? Hey, man, if I had to leave the artist with anything, it would be whatever what you're driven by, because it depends on who I'm talking to. But, man, I know that things like his heart, as Tony said earlier, and we face challenges. But I would say, if God before you, man, who in the world could be? If you really believe that you're going to have challenges, whether you're outside or whether you're inside, but if God is on your side, man, I mean, I believe, as Steve just said, all things will work together.
Speaker 3:Yes, sir, Thank you all.
Speaker 1:man Appreciate you for being on, let's just talk about it. Love y'all man Brothers for life. Thank you, love you too, brother. Talk to you soon. All right Brothers for life, brother.
Speaker 3:Wow, what an amazing conversation Shout out to my brothers, steve, chris and Tony, for doing this interview, who I consider my brothers for life. You know all of them had some powerful things to say that I believe could help some young man or young lady change their minds for making a bad decision that could possibly lead them down the road to a place called prison. So if you know someone who's going down that road, feel free to share this episode with them, because you never know, it may help to change their minds. Again, thank you so much for listening to this episode of let's Just Talk About it podcast. Don't forget to download and don't forget to share. Also, if you want to share with me how this podcast has helped you, you can reach me at let's Just Talk About it 22 at yahoocom and now on Facebook, just type in Chuck L-J-T-A-I. So, as always, until next time. Hey, don't hold it in, but let's just talk about it. Talk to you soon.