Balancing the Good Stuff

This evening was the Gamblers Anonymous Speaker’s meeting which I have the honor and privilege to Secretary for the next few months. I was asked to Secretary this meeting by a very dear friend in the program and that was back in December. I was honored to be asked but what I didn’t realize at the time was the fact that the children’s activities would accelerate. Back in December there wasn’t much going on and that was the case until today. Today my daughter had her first softball practice and this will be ongoing for until June. Her practices will be on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I had promised my daughter that I would volunteer my services as coach. However; the team appears to have more than enough coaches so I have volunteered my company to be their sponsor.

It is always interesting to see people’s reactions when I tell what type of company I work for and it was equally as interesting to hear my wife say, “I hope there isn’t a problem with having your company be a sponsor for the league.” I knew exactly what she was inferring but I had a little fun because there does seem to be a misnomer with companies like ours. We are an alcohol and drug treatment facility who HELPS people deal with their addictions. We aren’t a drug dealer; we HELP people with addictions. However; when people hear drug and alcohol addiction they get all worried especially in the residential setting. Anyhow I was happy to volunteer our company and will obtain the paperwork later this week to submit.

I did go with my daughter to her first softball practice which was held indoors at the batting cages. I couldn’t stay for the entire practice since I had to make the meeting. There is a balance I am seeking and sometimes this balance is difficult to obtain. Today I was driving a little faster than I normally drive so I could get to the meeting on time. Thankfully there are dear friends who understand and were there to setup up the room prior to my almost tardy arrival.

Life is moving quickly which is wonderful and now it is vitally important for me to stay connected to the program. I still prescribe to the theory that I must be even more aware of my lifelong compulsive gambling addiction as life gets better. I had obtained this in the past because what I set out for I did obtain; however; my compulsive gambling addiction was never addressed. Thankfully my compulsive gambling addiction has been and continues to be arrested all thanks to the Gamblers Anonymous Program. I know the only way for this to continue is being connected to the program. This evening I was certainly connected to the program and enjoyed the speaker’s meeting tremendously.

The original speaker for this meeting was a very dear friend of mine but life being what it is this dear friend needed to reschedule. I was able to move up the other speakers and tonight the speaker was very good. This was a person I have known for awhile but never heard the “entire” story. Tonight everyone in attendance got the “entire” story and what a story it was. The GA Program is remarkable because I continue to witness miracles firsthand and this member had a rocky start early on in the program but it was apparent the program does work. I was so happy I was able to “balance” life today because this “balance” is amazing.

The coolest thing happened while I was at the meeting. My sister had sent a birthday gift for my children. The gift arrived today and my wife had them open the gift while I was at the meeting. The gift was opened and my daughter was so excited she actually hugged and high fived her little brother without any prompting. My sister had sent the very popular Wii game Mario Kart and obviously the two of them were extremely happy to receive the game!!!