My life in crime began with a good deed. You.

One of the most powerful aspects of friendship is the alleviation of loneliness. When another person indicates that they understand us, that we are no longer alone, there’s an expansion of joy in our chests, a feeling like no other. All of us live in solitary confinement, waiting for a friend to appear and set us free. Etched on the key that welcome rescuer holds are these words: I understand you.

Instinctively, I realized that if I didn’t build a life for myself outside the orb of my child’s world, I would cripple both of us.