by Patricia, San Francisco Family to me is one of the most valuable things in this world. It’s what money can’t buy that makes me the happiest. Something priceless and so cherished as what family is. It’s the love so deep no one else can give you. Blood is not what makes the family. It’s how far you’ll go for them, the loyalty and trust given to one another, your other halves, and many strong, unbreakable bonds. I have a younger brother and sister and mom and dad. But I consider so many more people in my family. My sister,
Continue ReadingThe Costs Of Loving Someone
by Ishmael, Santa Clara What’s up, Beat Within? How y’all doing? I would be better but I’m on C-level, which means I can’t socialize or call my family. But how do I move on from stuff? How do I put stuff in the past? See, I don’t really get over stuff. Well, I do, but it takes me a while because I feel like if you do something to me once, how will I know you won’t do it again? You really have to prove to me that you won’t do it again, but I won’t forget it.
Continue ReadingBest Family Memory
by Chaser, San Quentin State Prison, CA I don’t know if I have a best family memory but I have a lot of good ones. One memory that I look back on and smile is when we went to the Santa Clara County Fair. We were living in a small one bedroom house near Downtown San Jose. We didn’t have a lot of excess money at the time or even a car. I think my Dad won the tickets to the fair from a contest on the radio, either way, we got the tickets for free. So we woke up
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by Hugo Arredondo Ortiz, San Quentin State Prison, CA The days I miss the most are those when I was happy watching my brother kick a soccer call. Helping my sister with her homework, and my familia on holidays with the music so loud our neighbors are with us until midnight because they’re downing a fresh beer with their tacos. However, the days I miss the most are watching my family (my son, my daughter) open their birthday and Christmas gifts. Those were the most surreal for me. There I was, wondering how/when did this happen. Seeing their smiles for
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Volume 28.15/16
Please contact Lisa Lavaysse if you would like to purchase the full PDF or a printed copy of this issue.
Continue ReadingEd Note 28.15/16
Greetings friends! Forgive the delay with this latest issue, as we welcome you to the latest Beat issue 28.15/16! Yes, we had a couple of glitches over the last couple of weeks, but we are now working to get back on track. This latest 76-pager is full of great writing and we tip our cap to many of you solid contributors who step up each week in our weekly workshops to share your truths, your art, and all your ideas that give hope and inspiration. Speaking of inspiration, big props to you writers who have earned the privilege to have
Continue ReadingStill There When I Need Them
by DaBaby, Marin Someone I look like is my dad and everything and I got my mom’s eyes and smile and I feel sorry to them because they told me every day to be good and change my life, but I never heard them. I was too busy on the street smoking meth with the homies rolling blunts and shhh like that. I feel bad because they were always there for me, and I appreciate that they are still there when I need them. I never thought I was that person. It feels as if I was in a dream,
Continue ReadingLove Versus Hate
by D, Sacramento “We hate so fast and we love too slow.” – Pink Honestly, I do agree with this week’s quote. It made me think differently because I thought it was normal to hate people. Hatred comes very naturally and easy to most people. Small, simple things can tick you off to hate someone and that hate can last as long as you live. Shoot, nowadays it’s common to hate people that you never even met. When you think about gangs, most the people who despise each other never even saw each other in person, only over social media.
Continue ReadingConquering Our Doubts
by Patrick Demery, San Quentin State Prison, CA Doubts have always been that obstacle with which I have struggled against the most. Sometimes I think they have stopped me from even attempting to succeed. What’s that saying? “You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”? My doubts are those things that have kept me anchored and tied to the pier of life. Don’t get me wrong. My life has been a strange and adventurous journey, but I can only imagine what it could have been had I only conquered my doubts
Continue ReadingOh Love… How Much Love is Enough?
by Donald Thompson, San Quentin State Prison, CA Love means different things to different people, but in the end, I believe that love is love. I have people in my life who love me, and whom I love. Their love for me makes all of the difference in the world. I feel loved even if it’s just their words to me “I love you” because so much of my life I didn’t feel loved even when there were those who would tell me they loved me, their words were void of meaning because there was no action behind the words.
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