What a Day!!!!!

Today would be one of those very busy days and I shouldn’t need to overstate that! This day has been on my schedule for some time now and it was filled with the three most important aspects of my life; family, Gamblers Anonymous and friends. It goes without saying that this year is whole lot better than last year and there are no comparisons. It is like comparing dark to light, night to day and good to bad. Last year I was counting down the days and this year I am counting on the days.

As I served my sentence I had incredible visits from incredible friends inside and outside of the Gamblers Anonymous Program. I was even blessed with GA meetings every other Sunday which were Godsends in every way. I remember hearing about the first GA Holiday Party last year and it was a big success. It was such a big success it has grown into an annual event and the second GA Holiday Party was scheduled for today. The planning for this party has been a year round event and I wanted to attend ever since I heard about it last year. I would get the opportunity to attend but as life would have it I couldn’t attend for the entire party.

Recovery and in that GA continues to give me a huge second chance and with this second chance I am blessed with an incredible family; with all of this comes an incredible day of today. The day started out like most of my Saturdays with a long run and today this long run was much shorter than in the past few weeks as I completed a 12 mile run which was great. The day had the family getting ready for the annual GA Holiday Party first which would be followed by my son’s first flag football game.

Amazingly the family was ready on time and we arrived as the party was just starting. I entered the room which incidentally was the sight of my very first meeting over three years and nine months ago. The settings may have changed a bit as the church has expanded over the years but the room does hold a very special place in my heart. My life has changed for the better ever since I entered that room and sure there it has been a journey but because of GA I realize I am on the right path of recovery. This right path led to an incredible gathering of fantastic people. The “core” group of our fellowship was in the room with their families. The destruction that compulsive gambling causes are in some cases extremely devastating; however; in recovery this devastation is mitigated and magnificent things happen such as sharing an incredible day.

The party was indeed great and it was equally as great seeing the dear friends in the program; even a long time member made a surprise entrance and is what the program is all about. Recovery does happen and it happens in a big way. We could only stay for a little over an hour and as we were departing Santa was making his entrance. The children said hello and goodbye to Santa as we made our way to the car. Of course the magnificent people in the program had promised to set aside two of Santa’s presents for our children.

We did make our way to the football field for our son’s first flag football game. He got off to a very inauspicious start. He was the quarterback who really surprised me and as he faded back for his very first pass he threw an interception which the other team returned for the game’s first touchdown. As the player from the other team crossed the goal line my son turned to me and just put up his hands with a very wry smile on his face to say “oh well!” He has such a great attitude and this did not faze him in the least. The game went sort of downhill from there as the other team scored three more touchdowns and my son’s team did not score one. However; my son’s team has a great coach with a wonderful attitude who was focusing on the positive. These are 7 and 8 year old kids who just want to have fun and the coach realizes this; thankfully as this stage it isn’t about winning or losing it is about having fun.

I had to leave as the game dwindled down and I was making my way to a GA celebration for a very good friend in the program. This friend was celebrating 40 years in the Gamblers Anonymous Program. I met this very special person in the first month of me entering GA and this is a person I do my very best to emulate since having 40 years in recovery is really not so bad!!! It was another wonderful event with over 100 people in attendance. There was so much recover in that room I was grateful just to be present. I made it a priority to go to this celebration 9 months ago when this amazing member came to my birthday celebration. We aren’t exactly close in proximity but this didn’t matter to me because this is what recovery is all about; people helping people and this great member was there to help me and is still there to help me.

As the meeting concluded I was near a very dear friend and decided to make a visit. This is a dear friend not associated with GA but a person who has come into my life in the very recent past. It was great seeing this dear friend and we spent a few hours talking and taking the dog for a walk. I do believe everything does happen for a reason and this dear friend isn’t exactly having an easy time with life but still maintains a great attitude. We talked about acceptance and even though this dear friend is not a member of a 12 step program they understand fully the concept of a Higher Power. I want the tough times to subside for this dear friend but I know it is all part of the process and good things are just around the corner. Unfortunately this corner is longer than we both envisioned; however; life will continue to get better since it continues with each passing day. This was a great day from the very beginning and I am so blessed to be able to experience these magnificent days.