https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4aYVSgylks
Non-political piece here but I watched the video and it made me think about a few things as I was playing poker the other day. I had this nice stack in front of me, kind of had the perfect strategy going in this 2-5 PLO game and unfortunately had the crappiest heartburn due to drinking a few beers the night before and my body and its lack of a gall bladder which just screws me when it comes to eating anything with spices or drinking Sierra Nevada brewed beers (or any IPA, I love Stone the most). Anyway, as I sat there, two of the older guys were talking about their time in the military. One of them was a Navy Vet and is about 74 years old but looks like some type of character you might see in a fricking Goodfella's movie but is all class...all class at the poker table. I have seen him get screwed plenty of times in the 2-3 months I have played with him but seen him win plenty as well: he has no reaction either way other than one of no emotion if he loses and just a slight smile with conversation unrelated to the hand when he wins or folds. This could be due to his wealth, but I can tell her cares about winning or losing, just has a lot of sportsmanship too. The other guy was also a Vet and probably close to the same age and usually listens to people and has an amazing sense of humor. They were all going back and forth about memories and of course talking about some political things recently as well as military related things we all see in the news. I was the youngest guy easily by 30 years and I was silent besides some sports talk. No one cared or asked my view on anything, which was normal for me, though a few of them definitely show an interest in me as both a player and person when we do get a chance to talk away from the table. A few know of my service record, some things I have accomplished, and am still trying to accomplish on a personal and professional level both related to the government, military, and private sectors. However, through all of the conversation, my mind came back to one thing: inspiration. I thought to myself, like the eight guys playing with me "I hope I am at their financial situations when I am there age and work my ass for it because they inspire me."
A lot of times I get down on myself, about my life, and where I should be in life. I think we can all agree we do that or have done it. Suddenly, at this table, I remembered something: I am that inspiration for others. I have been going through some family drama, recently cutting off my brother and father, and already being disconnected from my mother for 25, almost 26 years, and I have been feeling really alone and truly lonely in New Mexico, and it is the first time I have felt the feeling of loneliness in several years. Still, deep inside, I know in Bella, my only daughters', entire life I have been focused on one thing: What World I create for her. I don't have to look much further than the things I have done to see that I came into this World with something and am entering my middle ages with my head held high. Poker is merely a game, but the words of inspiration I offer or the things I do each day, like play poker and sit around shooting the **** with some old guys and laughing, is by far the most important work and wonder I will do every single day for the rest of my life. My "work" is found in those moments and my job or income is found in all of the other stuff that passes the time.
I think General Mattis talks about something important in this video when he mentions inspiration and that is a wholistic view of it. I believe it is hard for people to see outside the soda straw in life, and certainly in their own personal states. They worry about debt, health, and all of these things. I can think of so many times in my life that I was blessed to have things that I probably took from granted at a younger age but now I am thankful. I am so thankful that over the long haul I had bad times, learned from them, and don't have to experience the same mistakes now. I wonder what guy or gal out there, around my age or younger, might have the same opportunities and not take them, or the ones who don't but would take them in a heartbeat. I guess my main point is I am grateful to drive an hour to play poker, because outside of a few things I do here along with work, there is nowhere else I would rather be than the tables. I am not someone who will ever be of much value or ever get further than 2-5 or 5-10 games, but just being able to get on here, read about people accomplishing thing while going on a journey in the game myself is plenty enough for me. I hope you can gather something from the video and it keeps you motivated to whatever your goals are in life, and most of all keeps you grateful for having the chance to play everyday. I was close to not being here for all of this and I am grateful...and not just poker, but life.
- Brett