It was really sad to go to Gloucester Prison yesterday for the last meeting of the IMB. The door is literally closing for good. The prison was like the Marie Celeste - no prisoners, only a handful of officers & admin staff. The whole place has been stripped out. A building is just an empty shell, it's the people who are important and virtually everyone has left. The halls, offices & cell blocks echo with ghostly voices. The reality of the need for updating & maintenence is only too clear. It was a jail that would have been a sink hole for money, and really wasn't fit for purpose. But it did a very difficult job well & offenders were well cared for. The vast majority of the staff were cheerful, professional & hard working. In a odd way I really enjoyed working there & will miss both the problems & the banter. I feel I have been lucky to have the experience.
On the other hand a door into the past has suddenly opened. A long lost friend of my youth has found me through my Blog. Renewing the connection, re visiting the past & discovering the present is a wonderful bonus. With real friends it is only the good times that matter. Particularly when one is getting older & experiencing the sadness of the death & illness of family, friends & aquaintances. A true friend is someone you can have disagreements with, but still retain that unconditional connection to because of shared experience. This friend is particularly valued because he was such an important person in the life of my husband.
Life gives as well as takes away.
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