Give peace a chance

Good afternoon Stephen, and you find me in a mellow frame of mind writing, as I am, listening to Harvest Moon, your penultimate song selection. In homage to the amazing waxing moon that's been lighting up the skies during the last few days, I'm guessing!

I'm certainly glad Volcano's fears of a missing song selection have been assuaged - and I'm now listening to Running by James Bay.

I did intially erroneously type in "Running James May" which returned a Youtube video of the old Top Gear trio running backwards in Bolivia. Quite surreal and shows the power of a typo ...!

Here's to a great weekend!

P.S. Volcano - unfortunately your Youtube link didn't work; I was looking forward to Nina - a beautiful singer; I'm wondering what your selection is ...!

One day at a time, we are living life; not misery. Here's my one and only song selection: Fast Car, by Tracy Chapman.

You got a fast car;

But is it fast enough so you can fly away;

You gotta make a decision;

Leave tonight or live and die this wayп»ї

The Fast Car is our mind; an amazing gift. We can become gambling free, we can fly away from the misery. We can leave gambling every day. The alternative isn't worth thinking about. But we have a fast car!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTIB10eQnA0

Thanks for that great post Mixer I enjoyed the Tracy Chapman song.

Another weekend, bit scary how fast time passes us by.

Changed my profile picture. New one taken a couple of weeks ago at a 5 Rhythm Dance. It was advertised as 'Earthdance', an amazing night and we were all playing African Drums for a while before the dancing . I'd got it in my head everyone would be dressed up a bit whacky but I was wrong ! Ha ha I did look a bit out of place but it was a good laugh.

Hello Diary - Expected time of arrival @ GF 150 is in eight one minutes and counting. Can already see the fireworks up ahead in the distance, crowds are lining the recovery road shouting do it - do it - do it - c'mon absy nearly there now . LETS ROCK N ROLL.

One hour 16 minutes, Stephen 🙂

Just arrived in a nice little place called '150 Days GF '. No fireworks but feeling very very good. I'm going to rest up here for 24 hours than back in action with all my GamCare friends. Shoulder to shoulder arm in arm beating the addiction.

Thankyou everybody in GamCare, I could never have got this far without your support and all the good advice and encouragement.

Morning "Absy" :))

Congratulations on reaching your 150 day's gamble free and winning for real , a superb achievement my friend !

Wishing you well for your ongoing journey and many thanks for the support you give on the forum :))

Regards

Alan

Mixer.... thanks for that encouraging post, much appreciated. You have been a great help to me.

Alan .... thanks for that Alan, I appreciate your support and sense of humour which helps brighten up the journey.

In overcoming addiction it is helpful to accept responsibility for my life and my actions. I need to examine my hopes, dreams, fears and anxieties. I need to have courage and strength of character to live my life the way I want to live it. My music choice today reflects all that.... My Life by Billy Joel ....I don't need you to worry for me cause i'm alright - I don't want you to tell me it's time to come home - I don't care what you say anymore, this is my life - Go ahead with your own life and leave me alone.

Good morning! Just dropping by to say well done on 150 days GF. I see you & Mixer have been listening to Neil Young so I'd like to dedicate this one to your milestone today;

https://youtu.be/hzMl0-bhNcM

"Expecting to Fly" (While I laughed I wondered whether / I could wave goodbye /Knowin' that you'd gone /By the summer it was healing / We had said goodbye / All the years we'd spent with feeling / Ended with a cry)

A bittersweet song, because the past will always be a part of us, but it doesn't have to define our future. Here's to a future that's gambling free :))

4D

Thanks Stephen. Round of applause!

May I offer my congratulations for hitting 150days GF Stephen. And may your 151st be another glorious day choosing life, casting misery to the darkness where it belongs!

It matters. You matter. I matter. We all matter 🙂

Thankyou friends for the congratulatory posts for my 150 Days GF, couldn't​ have done it without ypu all.

4D ..... just been reading the poem on your diary which I thought was excellent, we get infected by the gambling bug and it soon spreads throughout our bodies. We have to keep taking our medicine..... Enjoyed listening to your music by Buffalo Springfield .... Really liked your message of hope ; " The past will always be a part of us but it doesn't have to define our future ".

Merry Go Round ... Thankyou for your observations from the other side. Excellent contribution to the diaries.

Mixer ....Great support from you my friend, much appreciated. You even planted a wooded area of peace and tranquility for weary souls to rest awhile.

Hi Stephen.....Congrats on reaching 150 days gamble free great achievement,always look forward to reading your uplifting posts, you are doing great keep up the good work mate and keep making the right choices

150 days....am genuinely thrilled for you reaching this through sheer determination, motivation and the compassion you show for others. Picking people up when they're down and inspiring all even though you had a rough rode yourself. Amazing song choice lol, enjoy every moment of this Super Sunday and your GF future hugs S:)

Chartom .... Thankyou Chartom, appreciate the support. Great to see you doing so well, 42 days without a bet. Whatever temptation comes along it can't be worse than what you've already been through. One day at a time, before you know it christmes will be here. A 'gamble free christmas' has got to be better than a miserable 'done your brains in christmas'

Sharon .... Appreciate your kind words. It's that kind of support that has carried me along to 150 Days GF. I've been walking on air all day with a sense of wonder and disbelief. I can now confidently say no to the addiction and live my own life, I can't describe how good it feels to be free of it at last. I owe so much to all the diaries and will be eternally grateful. One diary in particular has inspired me with it's courage, compassion and honesty, it's always been there 56 days up ahead, a beacon of light showing the way forward. Sharon you have my gratitude and utmost respect ....stephen

Hello . Just left the sweet little oasis of 150 Days GF... Fully refreshed after a 24 breather, heading now for 300 Days ( Guru ). Still a lot of challenges up ahead but i'm feeling good about this.

I am now getting back some self respect. We're compulsive gamblers which doesn't make us bad people but in addiction we do do bad things and are neglectful. Sadly the addiction uses 'low self esteem' to get us back into gambling. The addiction may tell us we're worthless and horrible. Don't listen to it - we all have the potential to be happy, caring and contented.

My music choice today is Beautiful by Christina Aguilera...... I am beautiful - No matter what they say - Word's can't bring me down - I am beautiful - In every single way - Yes words can't bring me down - Oh no - So don't you bring me down today.