Other essays on this theme

Essay: "Gambling"

Everything's a Gamble Everything in life is a gamble. Even taking a dump is a crap shoot. If you don't believe me go ask Elvis. Life is full of variables and there is only one guarantee: no one gets out alive. Realizing that may be why I seldom bet. When I do decide to do it, however, I'm rarely attracted to the thought of using my money. With my bad luck, it is too likely that I'm going to lose and money is just too hard to come by.

Gamblers are eternally optimistic. They always think their next bet will be a winner no matter how long the losing streak has persisted. They forget that the nature of a bet is to create an equal number of losers and winners. Seems to me that even those who win the most, often lose more than they win.

Returning to my opening line: Everything in life is a gamble. We have to hedge our bets and not risk what is important. Once I bet I'd not get caught and lost my freedom. There is no way to win that back. For a time I gambled with my health. That too was lost and is now gone for good. You can't win back lost ground. That's why I am more cautious now. What I am willing to wager is my writing. Intellectual property, worthless unless appreciated. Every piece I do for Prisoner Express is a sure win. It will be read by many people both free and incarcerated, and some are sure to appreciate my work. Instant gratification.

The most dangerous gamble I take is when I send my writing to publishers and contests. The stakes are higher. The competition fierce. Wins are rare. This year, 2006, I won a second price for nonfiction essay in PEN Writing Awards for Prisoners. Ecstasy! My book manuscript lingers at a major publishing house and I'm hoping for a big win. The odds are against me.

We all gamble. It is important to know the stakes and set the odds in your favor. Hedge your bets as best you can and roll the dice. Win, lose or just break even, we all have to play the game of life.

-Daniel Harris