Sometimes, we can transform an undesirable situation into a beneficial one, like the old man who lost a horse then becomes lucky! (a Chinese proverb.) In every situation there is always something good. We can perceive it as long as we remain optimistic.

Truly you are not influenced much by the outside in here; you don't see any crimes and you don't know any of the gossip. You may consider it a time for spiritual practice. It gives you more time to contemplate your ideals and make plans for the future, or adjust your time schedule to do something more interesting, since you have so much time on your hands. It is also very good.

In here, you have no responsibilities; no one comes here to bother you; no one calls you on the phone and nags you all day long; no one comes in here to puff smoke right in your nose; no one gets drunk and beats you up. In here, you don't have the chance to bargain or compete for fame or fortune. This is a perfect opportunity to purify your hearts and think about your future, or organize your idle hours to do something more meaningful.

It is easy to be in a state of happiness. If we want peace, we should search within, not without. We all know that since ancient times, many of the rich and powerful people were not necessarily stable within themselves, while the monks or the so-called Taoists or the spiritual practitioners were very, very happy, even though they might have worn rags and lived in huts hidden in the mountains. Therefore, happy or not, it should not depend on the outside.

We are all prisoners, more or less! Some people are locked up in a building, while others are bound by their minds; that is the only difference. Being locked up in a building is the most simple and hopeful; it is not so easy to break free of being confined by the mind. For example, we are imprisoned for a period of time because we made some mistakes, and when the time is up, we are free to go. However, if we are imprisoned by the mind of ignorance or by the desires of greed, anger and obsession, then it is not so easy to break free or know when we will be free, perhaps, not even when we die!

What we need to change is our concepts and not the outer environment. If this is already the situation for us, then we should be patient and try to live happily. When the time comes, everything will change. Just like winter, it is over in three months, the same with spring and summer. There is nothing that remains the same everyday. Look at how our emotions change from day to day; sometimes we are happy, sometimes we are depressed, and there are times when we are half happy and half depressed; sometimes we are irritable, and sometimes we are more at peace, etc.. Therefore, we must learn to be patient. When the time comes, the situation will change on its own. Even the most glorious era fades away when its time is up. When we are the most miserable, it will also change for the better. So, search within and find the happiness in your true Self, and you'll be fine!