Pig Part II and Greed

All is good with the world according to my seven year old daughter. Yesterday I wrote about her "mechanical pig" and how it broke. Well today she got up enough courage and told her teacher about the pig breaking its leg and wouldn't you know there were replacement pigs!! Her teacher didn't give her any grief because my daughter put enough grief on herself and her teacher gave her a new mechanical pig.

I picked up my daughter from school and the first thing she said to me was; "guess what, I got another pig," with here eyes so very wide and a smile from ear to ear. She went on to say, "I promised MYSELF I wouldn't throw the pig up in the air again". I guess we made a point with her yesterday because she didn't say I promise mom or dad she said I promised MYSELF. I think this is wonderful and the pig has all its legs in tact as of this evening. Now if she could keep her little brother away from the pig the pig will be guaranteed a long and healthy life but with him around we shall see!!

Little things in life do go a long way and I am so happy to finally witness these little things and genuinely enjoy each and every moment. My daughter made a huge break through (in my opinion) from yesterday to today and I am so very proud of her.

Gordon Gecko from the film Wall Street made the famous or rather infamous speech about greed and I think most of us remember the speech but I will recount the first few words; "Greed for lack of a better word is good....." I always thought this was a great thing and I loved that scene from the movie but nine months ago this greed for money went by the wayside. Greed for life, for people, for charity, for my family, for my friends is good but greed for money is a very bad thing as witnessed by a former member of Congress.

There is a congressman from San Diego who resigned yesterday because he was taking bribes and I had a long discussion with a few other Gamblers Anonymous members about this particular member of Congress. This member of Congress had it all; a decorated Vietnam veteran and a highly respected long time member of Congress but he got caught up in greed. No, he didn't have a gambling problem rather it appears he was addicted to money and material items. He resigned in a very tearful speech and he is in his 60's. He is facing 10 years in a Federal Prison and has lost all of his worldly possessions according to his speech and the indictment. I don't know about his family situation because to me this is what matters most. I can lose my house, my money and my personal effects but if I were to lose my wife and children I don't know what I would do.

Another few years doing what I was doing and not getting help with my compulsive gambling I would have lost my wife and children because there would have been so much damage done. I am so very happy I have stopped gambling and sought help for my problem. I can only imagine what is going on in this former member of Congress' mind and I would imagine it not to be so good. Would it have been better if he were addicted to gambling; I don't know because unfortunately an addiction is an addiction. Whether it is alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, shopping, money, etc,. it is still an addiction which is caused by the individual's brain. I don't know if the brains are hardwired differently for people with addictions but it really is a sad thing to see respected people fall from grace.

Humans are a fallible species and we all have our faults God knows I have many but my heart goes out to anyone with an addiction because I know first hand what damage an addiction can do if left unchecked.

Life to me is about relationships and I know I screwed up a great many of my relationships do to my inability to recognize my gambling addiction. However; after nine months of NOT gambling and living honestly I have new relationships and these are real relationships with real people who understand what addictions can do. I still have some very good relationships from real people who seemed to understand me better than I understood myself when I was gambling. I thank God for all of these wonderful people and my extraordinary family because without them I would be truly lost.