It’s been six months since I walked out of prison, but the memories are still vivid, as if it happened yesterday. Five years behind bars is a long time. Stepping into a new chapter in a new place, life feels strange. The fear of slipping back into old habits looms like a shadow.

There are moments when it seems like I have one foot in the civilian world and one foot still in that prison reality. The weight of being a felon hangs over like a dark cloud, a reminder that I’ll never be a fully accepted law-abiding citizen again. It’s a messed-up feeling, knowing that society might always view me through that lens.

Life after prison has made me distant and guarded. It’s difficult to let people get close because I can’t be completely honest about my past. The world feels crazy now, and I don’t quite fit in anymore. It’s a constant battle, trying to find a place in a world that doesn’t always make room for those trying to rebuild their lives after prison.

Originally written 09/23.