Life

Life is filled with good and bad and sometimes the bad seems to outweigh the good. However; there is so much good in my life it over shadows the bad. Take today for example; my children played in the pool all day with their friends and life couldn't be any better. Yes, the weather was 104 degrees and the pool certainly was the place to be and the children loved every minute. Truly witnessing the looks on their faces as they frolicked in the pool was priceless. It is these little moments I will cherish for the rest of my life. I have been blessed with two wonderful children and an amazing wife; I thank God each and every day for my existence.

Earlier this morning the Today Program on NBC ran a segment on Woman Compulsive Gamblers. They interviewed a very well spoken 55 year old school teacher from West Virginia who is a compulsive gambler. The segment was very brief but the points were very powerful. This nice lady became addicted to slot machines and video poker machines within months and it took having 47 cents in her purse and the prospect of losing her house to call the compulsive gambler hotline. She made the call and her life is so much better one year after she quit gambling. The stories are so compelling and heart breaking and it happens more often especially to older women.

Legalized gambling has spread throughout this country and it is literally every where. There is a casino in every home with a computer and more and more people will become addicted. It is good to see the mainstream media do a segment on compulsive gambling. Arnie Wexler who is a world renown counselor for compulsive gamblers was on the segment as well. Arnie is a 30 year recovering compulsive gambler who gives speeches all across the world on compulsive gambling. Arnie spoke of compulsive gambling as the "hidden" addiction. He is so very correct because most times the compulsive gambler is unwilling to admit they have a problem and keeps it hidden from everyone including themselves. Arnie gave five warning signs of compulsive gamblers and one of the signs is the compulsive gambler is willing to risk the loss of their family and career to place the next wager. How very true. It was a very good informative segment and the face of the compulsive gambler is ever changing.

Thirty years ago it was the 50 year old horse player and now it is everyone from the 17 year old high school student to the 85 year old retiree. Also; currently people become addicted faster and faster because we as a society move faster than we did even 10 years ago. With a computer in every household and a casino in just about every state people have more availability to the product and with this accessibility comes problems. In the past it would take a compulsive gambler 10 plus years to do serious damage to themselves and their families now is being done in months. The availability of the casinos and access to cash via credit credits accelerates a compulsive gamblers ammunition. When a compulsive gambler has more bullets in the holster more damage will be done much faster. Awareness and education is needed to help people with a compulsive gambling addiction and I believe society is moving in this direction.