Guest Post by Michael ”Skylar” Theroux; she/her/her; MTheroux@MWCC.edu

Mike Theroux and I have been Black & Pink Masschusetts pen pals for the past two years. Mike is currently serving a sentence at NCCI Gardner; her parole hearing is this Friday, April 14, 2023. She sent me this message of hope in advance of the hearing and asked me to post it on my blog. Please send good energy to Mike this Friday, and good energy to all the marathon runners this Monday!

The day of the Parole Hearing is fast approaching just like the magnificent 2023 Boston Marathon. Many will participate and be anticipating such an outcome that could affect lives of so many from a educational, social and economic standpoint. This year will hold a lot of emotions for not just me but all who are involved and particularly participating in this year’s events.

The time clock keeps ticking down to zero indicting ”showtime.” Everybody is quiet, patient, listening, waiting, and when the final answer is a ”yes” or ending in a positive approval, the crowd goes wild like the flock of fans and supporting members of all the runners, joggers in the Boston Marathon.

We all cry, hug and celebrate this welcomed blessing for freedom and second chance at life and independence and choice of living. I can now focus on a stable career and successful life with my kids and family, my education and furthering my intelligence. I can give back to my community and show the world I’m a major contribution to it. I would also like to have close ties to my university and alma mater.

I will never forget the great minds and people who appeared in my life those are those memories we as biological creatures savor for those days later on our sun porch or patio reminiscing about everything in our life. The good and the bad, why we did this and what if we did that? Those kind of tough questions and thought interpretations.

Just know the parole board will be figuring out my thought interpretations while Boston Marathon runners will be doing the same to fill their psyche in finishing the race at the finish line.