Hi Larry
Have I taken you for granted or what?
I was catching up in ‘My Journal’ and then in Running Girl’s thread I saw that she missed your posts. I hastily searched until I found you, reassuringly only on page 2.
I have been giving my feelings some thought. Ever since I have been on this site there have been people you felt would post for ever and then there came a time when their posts lessened and there was a feeling of sadness and loss.
I am going to voice an opinion and it is mine alone – ready to be shot down in flames if I am mistaken. We know the addiction to gamble has no cure and if we thought there was one, then we would not be accepting the addiction and therefore would be in danger of complacency. Taking support is very much a part of that acceptance but I don’t believe that ‘giving’ support daily for ever is.
GA will always be around and I hope this site will be too. We should not feel sad for those who, in time, ‘lessen’ their support once they have learned to control their addiction and are able to handle their own lives with the sense of normality that they craved. I believe that it is important to give back when one has received support, for a time, but Step 12 can be covered by the way you continue to live and by living gamble-free you are a shining example – what better message could you convey?.
I saw a post from Geordie the other day – written on the thread of another which said that he was gamble-free, so he is obviously reading. I was tempted to pull his thread up to the top because I miss his controversial approach – never afraid to say exactly what he thought. I didn’t pull it up though because I believe he is saying he is ok and he knows the support is here. He gave back unselfishly for a long time and I know he then struggled but there he was the other day, supporting just by saying he was gamble-free.
I think we all want the Kathryn’s and the Larry’s to keep posting but as long as when their posts do come they are confident and full of life then I think that sadness is the wrong thing to feel when the posts have lessened. I think we should celebrate their strength and determination and strive towards the examples they have set.
I would love to have met you in real life – you have been a mainstay and an inspiration for me but knowing that you are ok is all that I want to know.
I wish you God Speed Larry. You have supported unstintingly and unselfishly and it is not selfish to take time for you now. I will look for you in the future but I really do understand the need to stand back.
Thank you
Velvet
