The Impossible Dream

Happy Christmas Stephen! Presents done, just cooking now! Hope you have good company and good cheer.

No problem Stephen,

I like music so up to my street ☺

I have had a good day and lil babs had her share too!

Now everyone to bed as I have to be up early to dish out breakfast and prep for work ☺

I hope you're till smiling..another day g free ☺

All the best!

S&B xx

Love and best wishes to everyone. Hopefully your christmas day will have been a time of peace, joy and contentment.

Many people who are now feeling positive about life may have in the past experienced sadness, loneliness and despair. During those dark, miserable days they maybe lost hope and thought there was no way out. But they did get out of it, so never lose hope, because we don't know what will be blowing in tomorrows wind.

Small positive steps can slowly improve our quality of life. We might have a low opinion of ourselves but that can change, as our confidence grows we can develop some self belief.

Let's all go forward together. Overcoming our urges to gamble has got to be a step in the right direction.

I love you wrote abstainer. It really hit home today on Christmas. I am feeling lonely and in despair. Some depression and not believing in myself. Problems seem big. I started to focus on things that have been good in the past along with things I do well. small steps. Merry Christmas, tara2

Hope everyone is staying strong and free from gambling. Got to remember we can't win because we can't stop. Focussing on one day at a time we can move forward, shoulder to shoulder with our GamCare friends.

From the christmas carol "Hope"~ Hope is a candle, a light in the window, showing the way for, a heart to come home.

Thank you Tara2 for posting on my diary. It's good to know that someone out there in the wide world is sharing our thoughts and feelings. Sorry you are going through a bad patch and hope things look better for you today. Congratulations on 734 days gamble free, that is a massive achievement requiring a lot of courage and a strong will.

The name Tara conjures up thoughts of the 21 Tara Bodhisatvas or Buddhas of compassion and action: (protectors who come to our aid to relieve us of physical, emotional and spiritual suffering).

Green Tara is usually depicted as a compassionate being ready to step down from her lotus throne to offer comfort and protection from all the sufferings we experience in the world. Her Mantra is; "Om tare tuttare ture soha." Someone chanting this mantra is asking to be liberated from the misery of the mental delusions and negative emotions that blind us to true freedom.

Wishing all my fellow travellers peace and contentment. Keep searching and maybe one day we will find what we are looking for.

You write some fantastic words Stephen - I can tell that because I actually slow down to read them, then read them again.

Om tare tuttare ture soha is a wonderful mantra and one I've previously not heard of before.

I don't have a particularly religious bent, but certainly lean towards Buddism. Oh, for inner contentment such is the fundament to this understanding of life.

May I wish you, Stephen, the best of health (recovering, I realise, but recovering you are) and happiness. As we move into 2018, we can all, in this wonderful community we continue to build with like-minded Gamcare kindred spirits, have a year we can all look forward to. I'm convinced, with a cautious optimism allied with a spirit that will be tested but come through; down at times perhaps, but never out!!!

Thank you Mixer for posting on my diary. Hope your feeling good after the over indulgence that is christmas. Perchance a meander in Mixer Woods will clear the head and rejuvenate the spirit.

I liked your comments on Buddhism. I find it difficult to contemplate a life free from desire. I suppose though it is possible to put less emphasis on material things, to appreciate just being alive, free to enjoy lifes simple pleasures. As John Lennon said "Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can".

A Zen student asked his master. "Is it okay to use email?" "Yes", replied the master, "but with no attachments".

Very dull in Hull today and raining. It brought to mind a similar sort of day one time in the past when I had given everything to the fobt machine. I remember with great clarity coming out of the bookies completely distraught because I could see no way of paying bills or anything else for that matter. It makes me cringe to think back on occasions like that. I don't want to experience that ever again.

Love and best wishes to all friends and fellow travellers. We all know we are on a very treacherous and dangerous journey. But we have got each other for guidance and support. Shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, let's just keeping moving forward, one step or one day at a time.

Hi Stephen

Hope you're well... Had an angel to wisper in my ear to post this to you!

Peace to you ☺

https://youtu.be/fahr069-fzE

Hi Stephen thanks for your post, I had intentions of posting earlier in the week but am in that weird between Xmas and NEW Year confusion lol. Thanks for all your kind words and here's to a super GF 2018, really looking forward to it, hope you are too S:)

Thank you Stephen.

You shone the light so bright that led the way for myself and so many others,

You are the beacon that helped me and many others on dark days,

The beacon, the light, that keeps on shining so bright.

Never let anyone dull your sparkle!!!

I wish you all the best for the new year, every step forward is a step in the right direction, always keep believing, thank you for everything.

Morning Stephen, Hope you are keeping well and had a good christmas ..... good to see you firmly back on the road to recovery and clocking up those gf days once again, we will have our bad days no doubt but the knowledge we have gained from our previous experiences will stand us in good stead ..... i look forward to joining you and our fellow gamcare friends marching through 2018 gamble free .....

Hey Stephen - I hope you're well and enjoying Betwixmas (my favourite time of the year; much less stressful than the Christmas hubbub.)

Although I take your point that the weather - a miserable, dull day in Hull (or anywhere for that matter) can send us a bit ga-ga. But we know that the demon flashing lights will ultimately make us even more bored because we're skint on top.

As people have said, what's worse. Being bored with a few quid in your pocket, or bored and skint? Given the gambling takes the money of us pretty d**n quick, the second option is (normally) always the depressing result.

So... we might be bored but at least have a few quid? What can we do with it...? We can eat better, life better, be warmer, turn the lights on brighter, buy stuff, treat ourselves, to stuff we want. Days out or holidays away - all possible. It's scary to take a peek at the options, the wealth of options and choice that the gambling demon slammed shut. Dare to dream, as you say Stephen!

Loved your Zen / e-amil attachment joke btw.

Mixer

P.S. I often go to Youtube and play 70s comedy shows and comedians acts, always cheers me up. Max Wall's good, and shows like Yes Minister, Mind your Language, and so many more all on there. All a great way to pass the time and a bit of nostalgia too 🙂

Morning Diary. Wishing everyone is coping with the emotional ups and downs. Christmas can be a time of joy but it can also be a harrowing time when hopes and dreams may be dashed.

My works pension in bank today so the addiction is having a field day painting rosy pictures of gambling. The decent and sensible part of my brain is pointing out the many reasons why gambling for me is the road to hell. It's like telling a child he can't have a bag of sweets.

Thankyou so much for the posts on my diary. The support of GamCare friends is going to propel me into the New Year and a gamble free 2018.

S&B...pleased to see you had good times over christmas with your sister and lil babe. A bit of singing and dancing around never hurt anyone and can lighten our mood.

Sharon... Wishing you well as you celebrate christmas and the new year. You have done so well and are approaching 300 days gamble free. I'm not a wise man but I will still be following a star in 2018 ~ Yihaaa ~ Sharon Superstar.

Who am I ... thankyou for those lovely words, I really appreciate your kindness. Lovely to see you back posting on the diaries, really miss your wonderful posts whenever you go awol. Hope your keeping well and enjoying a gamble free life. A bit chilly for your seaside walks on the beach but no doubt a few hearty souls will be taking the New Year plunge in our coastal waters ( amazing what people can do if when they set their mind to it).

Chartom ... We can do this. One day at a time and before you know it we will be far away from the addiction. I suppose it will always be around but it's hold over us will get less as time goes on. Wishing you well and look forward to our journey in 2018.

Mixer ...Really appreciate your reminder, it is strikingly obvious but need to be constantly reminded. I may sometimes be bored or a bit sad but it is far better being sad or bored with cash in my pocket than being sad/bored and also skint. The addiction sadly tells me otherwise but i'm wiser now and certainly not falling for that old chestnut again. Glad your enjoying the betwixmas period, an oasis of calm to restore our balance. I also enjoy youtube, all kinds of good stuff on there. Take care and thank for the wonderful work you put into the Guru Challenge. Look forward to joining you for 2018 on the road with our GamCare friends. It might be a bumpy ride so I will need to hang on tightly.

Hi Stephen. Hope you had a great Christmas and looking forward to a fabulous new year.

Your positivity is shining through. You really are on a mission! Experiences and knowledge give you the edge to keep the destructive gambling activities firmly in the past, whilst the angels of love and hope help you along nicely.

Thankyou for those kind words Changemylife. I am certainly on a mission and will remember what you have written in a previous post; "I have the power to decide". I will also follow your lead and enter into the new year with; optimism, excitement, enterprise and happiness.

2018 is rapidly approaching. It will be special, a full calender year gamble free.