fear of 13

I saw a British documentary film last night called Fear of 13  that I need to share with you. It was a spectacular film and the take away was like a loot bag of life lessons.

Nic Yarros was a death row inmate whose life read like a bad luck tale like no bad luck tale you have ever read.

He was a very young boy playing in the woods with his dog when he was raped and beaten.

He is told everyone will be killed in his family if he does not keep it secret. Including his beloved dog.

He tells his first lie that day and proceeds to lie, steal, use after that as he anesthetizes his pain.

His crimes are small but he is soon chosen as the man who brutally raped  and killed a woman. A mother of three. An innocent.

He himself is innocent but powerless.

His life is without light and sound until a guard allows him access to the library.  “A gesture of kindness from a stranger’ that changed his life. Because he took it as such. He reads everything he can get his hands on. 1000 books in 3 years. He grows his 8th grade education to eloquence.

He fights for DNA testing that is now reality (in the 80’s they condemned him based only on speculation and blood type match).

His bad luck is so strikingly bad at every turn I found myself in tears out of frustration.

But he had this ability to rise up, fight and even dream of what he might have when EVERYTHING was taken from him that was so incredible to witness, I can’t tell you.

After over two decades on death row he is out. He is married. He has a child. He visits prisons to speak to inmates. He has written two books.

The way we narrate what has happened to us is powerful. We are the writers of our stories.

How are you narrating your life?

2 thoughts on “fear of 13

  1. So true Nancy. We each can be the author of the stories that we want to tell about ourselves. If we are clear on who we want to BE…then acting that way is so much easier. Nic Yarros is a motivating example.

    • Jen- you are a great example of this!!! One of the best, actually. Great to share this movie with you and MW last night. xo

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