I was just wondering, if you write to someone on DR, did you give it any more thought than writing to someone in general population? Do you think you needed to give it any more thought?
Are there many changes between getting mail from someone on DR, and someone who's not? Have you thought about the 'if' or 'when' ?

hi ,
well i was asked by american woman if i wanted to write a man who's in dr texas(this man wanted a pp from holland).
realy i had to think about it for a few days,the first thought was hell no,i can't handle that!!
why is he in dr,what has he done,she didn't know either,because this man was a friend from a pp of her.
the only thing i did know ,he was a nice person,not a angry person,and never having any problems.
so i discussed about it with my boyfriend ,yes or no,why not etc.........and he said wel if you want to this well just do it!!
i did it's 2 years ago and i do got a great new friend,he does learn me so much about life,things i never doubt about before..........i'm happy i did decide to write david.
it's not always that easy,realy it's not,sometimes you got realy bad letters ,about the texas situation,about he has broke his leg,and nobody is doing something about it,it's hard because you can't do anything,just writing and let them know they are stil human and others do care about them.
the hardest thing is........when wil be his execution?
realy a little from me would die too!!

siska

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be nice to the people on your way up,because you will meet them again on your way down

Hi hammondshampster, i have been writting to inmates now for about 7 years and yes a lot of them have been on D R and are gone, i don't find i need to think about it often, only if he talks about it really, i have one now and he is waiting for his date, our letters haven't changed, he'll tell me when it's his time and we will both have to accept it, it can't be changed, so just have a laugh with them, just as you would with the others and if they feel the need to talk about it, then let them, but don't let them know if you feel any different about them compared to the others

Holly as you know I am writing to someone on DR and I am enjoying his letters, they are so full of humor and they do make me laugh, I have thought about certain aspects but I try to keep that at the back of my mind and stay positive for him, I do think sometimes you have to be a strong person to write to someone on DR as it can be very emotional at times. And as I am new to all this I wonder have I done the right thing in starting this contact, then other times I know it is right, I have read about some people can't bring themselves to have a PP on DR and I also understand that too. I think it is an individuals choice. I will say tho, it would be very very lonely for all those on DR without PP's. I try not to think of the day when I get told of a DATE if I did then I think I would go .

Michaela x

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In the beginning it is always dark..

Holly, to be honest i never viewed writing anyone on the Row any different to those in the main stream of prison life. Because i knew NOTHING......... But as you know my friend was executed just over a year ago now and we had become close to the point that i spoke to his mum several times. I don't view death as a bad thing, but only passing into another door. He told me he didn't want to die, but accepted his lot. I still cry and am not ashamed to say, i miss his friendship. I grieve for his family, his beautiful kids, and i grieve for him, not to mention HIS actions that put him their in the first place and his victims.
I received mail weekly, so there was never really many delays, if any, as we just wrote when we wanted to talk, not the letter for letter kind of thing. It is not a journey for the faint hearted. If you are like me and care, you cannot help but feel through them. It was a rough time for me and i honestly wished i never picked up the pen, but when all the dust settled i was grateful for the friend i had made. Sometimes the lessons we learn are painful, but it helps you grow and become stronger if you can ride the rough times out.
I would personally say to ANYONE thinking of writing someone on the Row take a minute and REALLY think if you could cope writing for years, getting close and then having to say goodbye. You may think you are ready, like i did, but are you ever truly prepared to loose a friend that is not sick?? Because one day they will come calling for your friend, and then they will walk the line and pay the ultimate price for the crimes committed on another that some in society deem acceptable by DEATH.

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What you are will show in what you do.

Holly, I just started writing someone on DR. Scared YES! Why? Emotional involvement with someone I may really like who may be gone sometime in the near future. On the other side, I have lost my dad to Lou Gehrig's disease, my grandmother from cancer, one of my grand dads to Alzheimer's and the other to emphysema. I knew all those were immanent deaths. Did it cut me off from them, no. Did it make me freer to say what I felt and ask what they felt and have bottom line discussions, yes. It also allowed us to blow past all the BS and we laughed, joked, cried and railed together, bottom line true honesty and a real gift.

I'm hoping my new pp and I can share experiences and based on our openness will get us to a point that we can be the way my family was loving, laughing, caring and accepting whatever the outcome may be.

I think it will be very hard but definitely worth it for him and me.

horsewithnoname.................love this words from you:
I think it will be very hard but definitely worth it for him and me

you are so right about ....it will be worth it!!

hugs

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be nice to the people on your way up,because you will meet them again on your way down

Thank you witerose, I write because I care and I care what I write.

In places such as Texas someone can be on DR where there is a reasonable doubt if they actually murdered anyone.
John

I think in Texas, someone can be on death row for having too many outstanding moving violations....

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"Thats it then, they will go on double, secret, probation..."