My best friend from high school did 20 years in prison. He was one of the first people sentenced under Missouri's "3 strikes" sentencing guidelines. He got out

My best friend from high school did 20 years in prison. He was one of the first people sentenced under Missouri's "3 strikes" sentencing guidelines. He got out a few years ago. He told me, for him, rock bottom was when he heard the judge throw 20 years at him. He didn't think it would happen for such petty crimes (stealing pawnable junk out of people's garages) and his cooperation with the police. But when it happened, he knew they weren't gonna blink; he was gonna do the full 20 years. He did. He also told me that his entire time in prison was actually a gift. He got his life back together. He kicked his drug habits. He finished high school. Got a college degree. And got his own business started training service dogs. He told me the key, for him, to restarting his life was simply not being bitter about his bad situation. He blamed only himself, and decided to dig himself out.