Family Fun Night

Tonight was "Family Fun Night" at my daughter's grammar school. Previously the school held a "Camp Buchanan" night this is where the students and their families would camp overnight on the school grounds. They would have a dinner (in year's past it was hosted by Outback Steakhouse) and show movies. The families would sleep in tents and sleeping bags. However; the school has grown so much over the past year they couldn't hold the "Camp Night" because there was no where put all of the families. The principal decided to hold a family fun night with a Hawaiian theme. The dinner was catered by a Hawaiian restaurant and there was Hawaiian style entertainment. The highlight of the evening (for the parents!)was a silent auction for all kinds of donated gift baskets.

In years past I know we would have bid on a few gift baskets but not this year. My wife and her friend split a bid on a gift basket and they were the high bidders. My wife was very excited about the auction and it was good to see her genuinely having a great time. Some of the gift baskets were extremely nice; Laker tickets in one basket, Charger tickets in another basket and sky diving lessons in yet another basket. All told there were 120 donated gift baskets. I even noticed my old employer donated one item to a gift basket.

The evening was a lot of fun for the children and this is what matters most. The school did a great job and they really reach out to each family. I must report on one issue; as I was standing in line waiting with my son to get a balloon animal (for lack of a better description!!) I noticed the gentlemen behind me was having a hard time with the wait time. His son was of kindergarten age and we all know five year olds aren't the most patient people and the line was moving very slowly. He was talking with his mother (the child's grandmother) and commenting how every year the lines are so long. Then his wife came up and asked him some questions and he became even more agitated. Yes, it took 45 minutes to get a "balloon animal" but this is to be expected.

The whole night was dedicated to the children and as long as they were having fun nothing else matters. Who cares if it took this long because there was only one person making the balloons. Each person who worked the event VOLUNTEERED their time and I would have no right to get angry because of the wait time. I was just happy my children were happy. This gentleman did not see it this way and to me it is a shame he felt this way. Life is way too short to get upset over trivial matters and I have learned in these past seven months the true definition of serenity. I cannot control these event nor do I want to control these events and God has a way of putting things into perspective. I thank God each and everyday for this perspective. It has taken me a long time to learn these concepts and my life is so much better because of it.

Tomorrow is the Gamblers Anonymous Western Conference and I am presenting at a workshop with my sponsor on Trust. I am looking forward to this Conference and the presentation. My sponsor is a very wise person and I was so fortunate he was at my first meeting. We connected immediately because I saw him nodding in agreement as I told my story as to what brought me to Gamblers Anonymous. He had a similar situation 16 years ago and he made it through. He has showed me there is life after gambling and as long as I work the Program this life after gambling is so much better than before. My sponsor is the kindest, most thoughtful, intelligent, genuine, honest and caring person I have ever met; it really is hard to believe he was capable of doing the things he did 16 years ago. This goes to show me what the compulsive gambling disease can do to kind, caring, thoughtful, intelligent and genuine people. It can turn them into monsters and this is what happened to me.

I am not dishonest person yet I did dishonest things. I am not a thoughtless person yet I did thoughtless things. I am not an uncaring person yet I did uncaring things. I am not a dumb person yet I did dumb things. All caused by my inability to recognize I have a compulsive gambling addiction. It has been seven months and 10 days since my last wager and I do realize I have an addiction. Through God, my family, Gamblers Anonymous and my friends I am recovering in the best way possible which is one day at a time.