It seems easy to come up with ways pool has had a negative effect on my life. But, looking back, the things for which I blamed pool were actually my fault, my lack of ability or desire to control my inhibitions. The breakup of my first marriage, the breakup of my second marriage, my recent breakup (wasn't married this time!), could all easily be blamed on pool and its addictive nature. The truth is, I was the one DECICING to play the game. They were all choices I made. After thinking about this for the last few days, I started to wonder if there was anything POSITIVE that had happened to me because of pool. Because pool is such a mental game, I decided that if I am going to continue to play the game, I need to re-asses my reason(s) for doing so.
Here is what I came up with:
(1) The reason I started in the first place: I had played a few games at a local gameroom but was not really intrigued or mesmerized by the game. Then, in February of 1989, I was informed by my girlfriend that she was pregnant. I was at a complete loss. This kind of thing happened to other people, not me. I didn't know what to do. I met a buddy at a place called the Brew and Cue on McCallie Avenue here in Chattanooga (some of you old roadies might remember the place). I was so mentally tormented by the life changing circumstance in which I found myself that I was at my wit's end. For the first time, I put every ounce of concentration, determination, and effort into a game of pool. My buddy, with whom I had played pool before, was awestricken by my play. Granted, neither of us really knew what shooting good pool looked like, but the performance I gave that night was far above and beyond anything I had given previously. I discovered that during those hours of playing a game with which I was very unfamiliar, I was able to completely put the mental torment out of my mind! When we were finished, my mind was clear and I was able to think again. I think that was the spark that ignited a passion for pool that has never died. In times of struggle and heartache, pool has been there for me. It can take me away and free my mind from the troubles life can bring. It offers a brief break from reality during which my mind can recuperate, yet keeps it occupied enough as to not go into a panic-driven overdrive.
I would love to hear from other AZers about some of their positive-pool-effects...
Here is what I came up with:
(1) The reason I started in the first place: I had played a few games at a local gameroom but was not really intrigued or mesmerized by the game. Then, in February of 1989, I was informed by my girlfriend that she was pregnant. I was at a complete loss. This kind of thing happened to other people, not me. I didn't know what to do. I met a buddy at a place called the Brew and Cue on McCallie Avenue here in Chattanooga (some of you old roadies might remember the place). I was so mentally tormented by the life changing circumstance in which I found myself that I was at my wit's end. For the first time, I put every ounce of concentration, determination, and effort into a game of pool. My buddy, with whom I had played pool before, was awestricken by my play. Granted, neither of us really knew what shooting good pool looked like, but the performance I gave that night was far above and beyond anything I had given previously. I discovered that during those hours of playing a game with which I was very unfamiliar, I was able to completely put the mental torment out of my mind! When we were finished, my mind was clear and I was able to think again. I think that was the spark that ignited a passion for pool that has never died. In times of struggle and heartache, pool has been there for me. It can take me away and free my mind from the troubles life can bring. It offers a brief break from reality during which my mind can recuperate, yet keeps it occupied enough as to not go into a panic-driven overdrive.
I would love to hear from other AZers about some of their positive-pool-effects...
