# Cards from the primary school

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-prisoner-nick-schoolchildren-cards
- Themes: prison, rehabilitation, kindness, children, drugs
- Life situations: ex-offenders, drug education, second chances

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Arriving early at Karnet prison farm, Ajahn Brahm is dragged by a prisoner, Nick, to a board covered in cards — and Nick is crying. A primary-school principal, wanting to warn children off drugs, had asked the superintendent for two prisoners jailed for drugs to spend an afternoon teaching the kids. The children then drew cards: 'Dear Nick, hope you get out soon', 'please come back when you're out'. Love and respect from children overwhelmed him. Years later at Perth Airport a hand on Ajahn Brahm's shoulder: Nick, in a beautiful suit — 'I'm doing well now; I'm still meditating.'

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

Nick, I remember his name, oh this is, okay I'm gonna go off on a tangent, but this is another emotional story which I really really love. Nick, he came up to me once, because I was at the airport waiting to pick up somebody else, another monk from the airport, and I felt the hand on my shoulder, turned around, it was Nick. I taught him in jail and he looked reasonably, in a really good suit, he said “look I'm doing really well now, thank you so much, I'm still meditating every day Ajahn Brahm! I'm still meditating!” And I always remember Nick because he was inside for dealing drugs. And I also remember this occasion once when I went to teach, arrived five minutes early, he grabbed me and said “come over here” and there was a wall. I was teaching meditation in the education part of the education wing of the prison and on the wall there was this huge number of cards, greeting cards, all to Nick, from little five, little grade five, grade six children: “Nick, thank you for coming to my school

## Teaching point

Giving people a chance to express kindness, and receiving respect, heals more than punishment.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A school invited two prisoners jailed over drugs to warn its pupils. Afterwards the children sent cards: thank you, please visit when you get out. One prisoner showed Ajahn Brahm the wall of cards, in tears. Years later he greeted him at the airport in a smart suit, still meditating. Respect can heal where punishment can't.

## Source

- [Hope | Ajahn Brahm | 8 April 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6OXWEWAeNE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 11:35 to 12:49: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6OXWEWAeNE&t=695s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Loving Life, Loving-Kindness | by Ajahn Brahm | 20 Feb 2009](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj98u8peZOU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 51:29 to 55:59: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj98u8peZOU&t=3089s
- [How to be Free | Ajahn Brahm | 26 November 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeiRya9-vXc) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 39:26 to 45:51: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeiRya9-vXc&t=2366s
- [How to Lessen the Stress | Ajahn Brahm | 29 March 2019](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSUdHhvVBfI) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 39:50 to 44:34: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSUdHhvVBfI&t=2390s
- [Learning How to Live Together | Ajahn Brahm | 2 February 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XcIDHLRCk8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 53:49 to 54:49: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XcIDHLRCk8&t=3229s
- [Caring and Mental Health | Ajahn Brahm | 20 May 2022](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO5tZV6YoEg) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 26:34 to 29:09: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO5tZV6YoEg&t=1594s
- [Buddhism and Evil | Ajahn Brahm | 6 July 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8WvK3y3tKE) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 23:10 to 24:26: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8WvK3y3tKE&t=1390s
- [Helping Others with Empathy | Ajahn Brahm | 2 June 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iffN3uTNCnQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 40:26 to 41:33: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iffN3uTNCnQ&t=2426s
- [New Year's Eve with Ajahn Brahm | 31 December 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWPiQZMTtO0) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 31:30 to 33:59: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWPiQZMTtO0&t=1890s
- [Inclusiveness | Ajahn Brahm | 17 March 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmVeZu4KmvY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 24:25 to 28:29: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmVeZu4KmvY&t=1465s
- [Accepting Praise | Ajahn Brahm | 14 June 2019](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFSKKmoWuW8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 29:56 to 32:20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFSKKmoWuW8&t=1796s