Poker lessons vs. life lessons

This article claims to bring forward a life lesson which took place back in 1998. The main character is myself. It’s about some poker lessons that I learned and which were very well exemplified. Over the years, these helped me big time to understand many important things, in what perception and thinking is all about. I can even say that they changed my whole adolescence. That is why, at the right moment, I’ll share it, with all the love also with my kid. The impact that that lesson had on my, it kind of enabled within my mind the correct understanding of stuff’s reality, understanding which my follower will also take advantage of over the years… Maybe also your own follower.

Starting with when I was 15 years old, life taught me to rapidly go over some situations. My parents were quite involved in my education. In time, they managed to keep my behavior in the good limits so that I don’t go on the wrong path. Even though there were all sorts of temptations, they knew exactly how to explain why they were right and eventually, they won me over: they achieved their goal and I learned what I had to learn.

The experience I’m about to tell you happened on a Sunday. It was an ordinary day. Spring was just starting. I remember we were having breakfast in family when, suddenly, my dad looks at my mother and he tells her:

“Woman, after breakfast I’m taking the boy in town. I want to show him something. Don’t worry, we won’t be late!”

My mother, as the ordinary woman that she is, without asking too much, she just said:

“Ok, dear. Take care and dress well.”

At some point, we get in front of this bar. We get in, we make ourselves comfortable, we buy a juice, we scan the place, when my dad says:

“Today you’ll get to learn something new. That electronic apparatus you see in front of you is called poker. Today you’ll learn how to play electronic poker. In a first phase, we’ll just try it out with 3 euros. This is how you’ll get the main point with it and the basic rules.”

So my dad takes me in front of the apparatus, he puts in those 3 euros like he said and he starts to teach me how to play. Afterwards, he looks me straight in the eyes and tells me:

“I want you to know something from the very first beginning! The money I put into this apparatus, sooner or later you’ll loose them! In theory, there are chances that the apparatus will help you double them, but in practice, there are higher chances that you’ll loose them. I want you to remember one basic thing: the functioning principle of this poker apparatus has a soft which can be controlled – So when you want to put in some money in such an apparatus, you need to start with the idea that you don’t posses them anymore…

Now, relax and just go with the game’s magic. Rest your mind! Try to have fun. Don’t even think about the winning possibilities. Take things just like they are and see this game like a fun activity, and not like a money making machine! This game wasn’t meant so that you can get rich! This game is supposed to help you have some fun! So take care…I’m going to lunch.”

Indeed! Things happened exactly how I was told they would. I lost all my money! either way, I didn’t feel bad about it, but I didn’t feel good as well… I rapidly accepted the situation because I knew, from the first, what to expect.

Those simple poker lessons made me understand from the start the essence of things.

They really helped me over the years when my friends were wasting even the last dime in their pockets, with their nerves stretched at maximum, all stressed out, desperate… without understanding not even for a single moment that this game is thought to make us have fun, and in no case to help us make fortunes over night. At one point, I was just starring at them, amazed and…I couldn’t figure out very well what that whole addiction was all about.

Yes, indeed, the temptation was quite big! In those moments you’re capable of doing anything. Many people just go nuts due to the money! But this is another matter…

Unfortunately, not everybody can be saved. Not everybody has the chance to talk with their parents about these aspects – the proof stands in the different behaviors and attitudes that teenagers have nowadays – that is why changing teenagers behaviors will always depend on the vision and implication of their parents.

“An eagle’s baby is born and grows with many sacrifices… but step by step, by learning how to fly, the baby will get to fly over the highest peaks on the earth.”

Poker is indeed a nice game, but if you’re a chowhound and a gutsy one, the beauty in poker might ruin your whole life! If you want to accurately understand the game’s miracles, try to learn about it from those with much more experience in life lessons. This is the only way poker lessons can be transformed into excellent life lessons…