“Gambling: The sure way of getting nothing for something.” – Wilson Mizner
*
gratte – gratte
each morning
Rolande marche au
Tabac
gratte – gratte
gratte – gratte
with the English
half-penny
i gave her
today she has
won 120 euros
then purchased more
scratch cards
from her winnings
i could attempt to
explain the statistical
probabilities
in my broken French
and she would smile
yeux scintillant
“mais oui!”
alors elle
continue
*
Bisous,
Léa
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Y’know what Lea? I think your poems are making me pick up an extra word of French here and there without me even noticing! A welcome side effect of enjoying your words – thank you. xx
You are so sweet Holly! I am still struggling with the language. It would have been easier to learn a second language when I was young but the opportunity wasn’t there. Merci beaucoup! 🙂
ah..it’s an addiction… there’s a point of no return…
Perhaps it is a good thing she does not live in Las Vegas? Yes, it is an addiction.
Fantastic and fascinating poem Lea!
Its the way of the human mind I think, and most of us have a little of the addict in us. What remains a mystery is why, for some, it becomes dangeous nd dark and difficult to escape from.
Love
Christine
Xxx
LOVE this quote – this is a keeper!
Merci beaucoup Christine.
So many lives are ruined by addiction and there are so many things one can be addicted to.
My eternal respect to all who battle and overcome these addictions. I once worked with a man who came to me with the story that it had taken him twenty years to achieve the 30 days of sobriety pin from A.A. For this man, we discovered that a contributing factor was that he suffered from Attention Deficit Disorder. He did give medication a try but his best success was from behaviour modification, support and learning more about himself. He also had to change his opinion of himself. He always thought he was a failure and had often been told that.
Love,
Lea
XxX
There are so many sad stories. In my many years in AA I have been to a few funerals, some of good friends I made there, who simply never “got it”. Its a physical, mental and emotional illness and requires acceptance and then much hard work to achieve, not only physical sobriety but emotional sobriety too,.and it never stops; it is an ongoing process, and the 12 steps are a program for life. It gets easier to do as years pass but we must never let down our guard and always have in mind where that first drink, or whatever the addiction, can take us.
Xxx
Absolutely! The courage of those who made it, stagger the mind. Yet, many do not realise what a difficult challenge it is. “Oh he/she could stop if they really wanted…”. No doubt you have heard it all. For bad or good, I saw it from very close-up and personal. In the end, it took my father. Was it the alcohol or the smoking? It was both and all the psychological baggage he tried to carry. It was his mother and wife who badgered the poor man to death… It was hard to watch knowing I was of no help.
XX L
Being helpless when you can see the destruction going on around you must be heartbreaking. I can now imagine what my family went through when they couldnt help me, but imagine is all I can do; I will never know. But you do.
I know a little of it though from trying to help others in AA. When you are desperate to help them have what you have found in recovery, and they just don’t or wont see it, it’is awful. There comes a time when you just have to let go for your own sake. Xxx
Xxx
I cannot imagine that you family was told, constantly, that they were to blame. The guilt was often even worse than what I saw and lived with. It took a long time to learn to “forgive” myself and then to understand that it wasn’t my fault as I was constantly told.
How right you are. Yet, as a child, we don’t know about letting go and looking out for ourself. It has been a few years since I’ve had any dealings with A.A. I should like to think that perhaps people such as the man I worked with would come forth and let the others know that something like A.D.D. could make the journey so much harder but that there is help available. Often though, the “help” is not easily obtained and often the individual is in trouble before any help is offered. Then the help is at the disadvantage of being ordered by the courts. Often the client would come to me distrusting because they knew I had to report back. Xxx
xxX
Life can be extremely complicated.
I cannot imagine the hurt in feeling blamed for something like this as a child. You have worked hard through your life to get where you are today, and I find it impossible ro put a value on the friendship I have found with you; it is priceless.
Xxx
Yes. You are priceless! Don’t argue, it will do no good. I have mlle Tess and monsieur Solomon on my side and their opinions are obviously unbiased!
That which didn’t kill me did make me stronger. Eventually, I was able to sort through enough to find something positive and build on that. Today, what you see is what you get. I’m not rich, my house is very modest as is my car… I don’t need more. Yet, I believe I am kind and truthful which is worth much more to me. I love to smile and have fun but not at the expense of someone else. I have the most wonderful friends and feel so very fortunate. I am grateful for so very much and friends, such as you are at the top of the list.
XxXxX
Very thought provoking read Lea, thankfully the only thing I’m addicted to is chocolate! 🙂 x
Well chocolate is a basic food group… 🙂 x Thanks Becka!