Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

by Bryan Stevenson

At fourteen, Antonio became the youngest person in the United States condemned to die in prison for a crime in which no one was physically injured.

Again, read this book!

Not that pie in the sky stuff, not a preference for optimism over pessimism, but rather “an orientation of the spirit.” The kind of hope that creates a willingness to position oneself in a hopeless place and be a witness, that allows one to believe in a better future, even in the face of abusive power. That kind of hope makes one strong.

This book is devastating me and teaching me so much.

It’s when mercy is least expected that it’s most potent—strong enough to break the cycle of victimization and victimhood, retribution and suffering.