Character

Yesterday my daughter participated in a Fourth of July parade with her cheerleading troupe. The parade was very nice and my daughter was very excited to march in the parade. Typically, my wife and children are usually back East this time of year. Each summer they take a trip to visit family for a few weeks and usually spend the Fourth of July on the East Coast. This is the first time in a long time they have been here for the Fourth of July festivities.

My daughter was a little disappointed because we were not able to see any fireworks displays. She commented that it is much better in New Jersey because she got to see fireworks. We were sitting in the front of our house in hopes to see some fireworks and we were able to see some but they were too far away to really experience the fireworks show. My daughter then went inside to watch the Macy's Fireworks from New York City. She stated she wanted to go to New York and see the fireworks "in person" and I told her when she is 12 years old we can go which is in five years. Who knows what is going to happen in five years and she may be living on the East Coast before that time but she wasn't exactly impressed with my comment. I think she wanted me to say we can go there next year. Also, my little girl is really growing up. She is very intelligent and this intelligence is starting to show. I really don't have any specific examples to share but nothing seems to get by her unnoticed. I love her so very much and want to be a part of her life because she is an amazing person.

If you look to the top of the screen underneath the Compulsive Gambler title you will see the saying "It is better to build character than to be one". My mother sent me this statement and it is so very true. I always thought I had character but my countless vain attempts at gambling turned me into a character. I am slowly building my character up one day at a time. It is going to take time because I destroyed any character I had by my past deeds. Little by little I took my character and dismantled it. I spoke before about going to places I wouldn't even dream of because of my gambling and this means I have substantial character defects. I need to repair these character defects so I can live the life I want to live.

One of my character defects was taking things for granted. When you live in a fantasy life reality takes a back seat. I have a wonderful family and I took that for granted. I had a great job and I took that for granted. I had a good life and I took that for granted. Each day I cherish what I have and I try not to take anything for granted anymore. I am trying my best to get back my true character and lose the character I have become due to my compulsive gambling. Life is not easy and no one ever said it was but it is the one life I have and I have to make the best of it. I will become a person of character.