BR: The Old Man and the Sea

I first read The Old Man and the Sea two years ago during the middle of my house arrest. At the time, I was dealing with the constant weight of unpaid bills and an unhappy wife. The struggle felt endless—each day was its own battle, and I never knew what would come next. Reading this book resonated deeply with me because, like Santiago out in the Gulf, I felt like I was grappling with something larger than myself every single day. The only way forward was to focus on surviving one moment at a time.

As I read, I couldn’t help but see my life mirrored in Santiago’s struggle. Here was this man, exhausted and beaten down, doing everything he could to reel in a fish he wasn’t even sure he could catch. He stayed focused, taking each challenge as it came, while keeping his eye on a goal that felt almost unattainable. That’s how my life felt then—doing my best to keep my wife happy, maintaining the house, and holding everything together, all while the uncertainty of my future loomed over me. I didn’t know if my hard work would pay off, or if I’d end up losing everything despite my efforts.

What stuck with me most was the ending. Even though Santiago didn’t get to keep the fish he had fought so hard to catch, he still came back with something—something that earned him respect and a sense of accomplishment. It wasn’t the outcome he had envisioned, but it was still meaningful in the end. I’m hoping my own journey mirrors that. When I get out of prison, I may not end up with the life I thought I’d have, but I hope that all the struggles I’ve endured will lead to something good, something I can look back on with pride, knowing I gave it everything I had.