Steve Marshall left Oakdale for the next stop in HIS journey. He has been transferred to another prison, this one in California, where he will be closer to family and friends who will soon be able to visit him on a regular basis. My heart is light with the joy that he must be feeling, but it is heavy with a sense of loss. I consider him my friend and an island of intelligence in a sea of insanity.
His contributions here in the pages of these “Chronicles” have always been meaningful, insightful, well-written, and thought provoking. They were also sincere, and flowed from his heart and Steve, for whatever it is worth, I know that you are a good person, and so do those other men here who took the time to get to know you.
Steve has a few more years yet that are owed to the Bureau of Prisons, but I pray that the time goes quickly and that it is punctuated heavily with hugs and kisses from those he loves.
I wish you the best of luck, my friend, and I ask God to watch over you, keep you safe, and protect your heart.
And just as quickly as an individual departs for another compound, a camp, a halfway house, or home, the space vacated is filled by another person in some stage of fulfilling their OWN obligations.
If every new person examines his heart the way Steve Marshall did, each one of them will be taking a giant step towards correcting what was broken that caused them to pass through these gates, disrupt their lives, and disappoint their families.
There seems to be no end to the supply of individuals who have crossed lines that should never be crossed. At the same time, there seems to be no end in sight to the irresponsibility of those who can do things such as those outlined in articles in these pages by Steve and myself that would help to raise awareness and reduce the number of ruined lives that need to become a part of this process.
http://mediarow.com/oakdale-chronicles/2013/05/ballad-of-a-lost-man-found-lyrics-by-steve-marshall/
http://mediarow.com/oakdale-chronicles/2013/05/in-knowledge-lies-the-potential-for-change/
http://mediarow.com/oakdale-chronicles/2012/10/when-i-get-out-of-prison-im-going-straight/
For now, I will simply say, “Goodbye and good luck, Steve. You are a very good man and you will be missed.”
May God bless you all.
The Oakdale Chronicles 