Good Idea Bad Timing

A few months ago I told my mother about a concept I had for a book on addiction. This book would be a pictorial of the real people who are effected by addiction. The book would consist of only pictures and would be in black and white. I thought this to be a truly good idea but as ideas go in my life I have a hard time putting them into practice. As an aside when I was 10 years old and when the microwave was first introduced I thought of the idea of microwave popcorn.

Actually; I believe I may have been the first person to ever have microwave popcorn. I remember taking the popcorn kernels and putting them in a bowl with a cover on it and putting it in the microwave. The taste was less than desired but the concept was there. Also; I thought of the concept of seedless watermelon around the same time and as we all know both microwave and seedless watermelon became a reality a few years later. These were good ideas but my timing and execution were a little off!

I digress (sorry!!); back to the concept of the pictorial book on the real faces of addiction. Earlier today I received an email which asked me if I wanted to participate in a book called "Expressions of Addiction". It is a pictorial of people with addiction. You can read more about it here. So much for my timing!!! Also; I do know of the author in fact I met this man at the Problem Gambling Conference in Las Vegas last December. He is head of the Harvard University Medical School of Addiction and was hosting the conference in Las Vegas. Mr. Shaffer works with the American Gaming Association to raise the awareness of problem gambling across the country. There is much controversy regarding these two entities but I will not get into that I am just happy to see someone take a proactive approach and chronicle the real people of addiction.

When I had the interview with the Las Vegas Recovery Center I had a discussion regarding the stereotypes of addiction. The Las Vegas Recovery Center is very big into Narcotics Anonymous and wants to end the stereotype of a recovering drug addict. They feel that Alcoholics Anonymous has an unfair advantage over other recovery groups because it has become very mainstream. They maybe correct because when I think of people that may attend NA they may not be the people I would like to hang around with.

I would have thought this prior to entering Gamblers Anonymous but I know anyone in a recovery program regardless of the Program is just trying to get their life in order. These are good people who have let their addiction get the best of them just like me and they are trying to get back to the world of sanity. They were insane just like myself and now their recovery program will deliver them back to sanity. These are blessed people because I know they have saved my life and no matter the recovery program the principle is the same people helping people arrest their addiction through a proven formula of working the Steps.

No matter what any thinks stereotypes are very hard to cast aside and they are a part of society, unfortunately. Yes, there are stereotypes in all addictions and I wouldn't even want to guess what "normal" people think about addictions. However; as a recovering compulsive gambler I know I am a blessed person because I have chose recovery over the madness of gambling. I don't like to make blanket statements because this maybe another form of stereotyping but anyone involved with any recovery program has my admiration and no matter their race, color, creed, politics, sexual orientation I believe these are great people because they are making all the right choices.

For so long in my life I made all the wrong choices and now in 422 days I have made all the right choices. One right choice is to not gamble today and work my Program to the best of my ability. This right choice has led to so many magnificent moments and I look forward to making this right choice one day at a time for a lifetime.

I am really enjoying this "bonus" time because this afternoon I got to listen to my "twin" speak a the GA Speakers meeting. I was sad last week to think I would not be part of this meeting but when I received my temporary reprieve on Friday one of things I was looking forward to was this meeting. It was a great meeting and we had a great showing. My twin did a fantastic job explaining how the Program works and I believe my twin hit a chord with everyone in that room. I am forever grateful for these people and this remarkable Program.

Finally, there are people in this world who really understand addiction and most of those people have been intimately effected by addiction. It really is hard to understand addiction if you have not been affected by it but I am grateful for my addiction because I know there is a road to recovery and this road has led and will continue to lead to a great life.