Other essays on this theme

Essay: "Gambling"

by Joseph Parrish
Gambling- Not My Forte

Gambling is not my forte; however I guess that it will help me in some type of way to put down on paper my view on it. I really do not pay attention to folks who are gambling and I guess that's due in part to the plain fact that I'm just not interested. I see prisoners gambling here in prison and it gives me the conviction that they are not thankful for what little they do have because they are gambling trying to gain more. I often ask myself, why can't they just be satisfied with what they're got? Why are they now, instead, giving God thanks for what they have already been blessed with? Why do they gamble, what's the purpose?

The reason why I don't gamble is because I realize that in these last days and times, money is hard to come by. There are guys that gamble in here but I am not one of them. I've been incarcerated for 42 months and I have not been in possession of one copper penny and even if opportunity formed to be in a position to gamble presented itself, it would not be a problem for me to say, 'No!' Gambling in prison can create all sorts of problems for you, so knowing this why do we insist on continuing to gamble? Some say that after indulging oneself for so long in gambling, one becomes addicted. As for me, I call it stupidity. 'Dummy,' enjoy what you have and give God thanks for it. Don't offend God by making a statement with your actions. I guess you've heard that action speaks louder than words.

Gambling was not meant for you but you chose gambling as a means to make you feel like you are the master of your own fate. I guess gambling makes you feel that way, especially after you won a large pot of the profits. No one can tell you anything you're in control, until that major downfall. Now you've lost all you've got, you lost more than you've won. You are in the hole now and you're scheming to come up with a plan to get back to your original position. I hope you learned your lesson.

-Joseph Parrish