The Poker of Life

Life is a casino where a never ending game of poker is being played by everyone. Nature is the dealer here. There are many different tables with the range of bets varying. Some are public and some have reserved admittance only. Different aspects of life are covered as different tables here such as family, profession, friends, socializing, sports, adventure, hobbies, relationships, etc. The bets keep increasing and decreasing. There is minimum bet on some tables which is very high and on some tables the maximum bet is fixed.

Every now and then somebody goes all out on a table hitting the max. bet and is thrown away from there. You see a constant competition amongst the players to reach to a certain table to play. To have more and more acquisition & recognition. Some succeed and some fail. Some keep returning to particular tables even after having lost everything there at some point and some never return to the same table after their first attempt. You last on some tables for very long and sometimes you barely sustain one game. Some keep borrowing and some keep lending, where as some just love to watch this misery. Its funny to watch all this combined as a spectator. To watch people engulfed in superiority of their tables and the jealousy & inferiority of others.

No matter how much you win or lose, how many times you win or lose, for however long you play on a table or keep shuffling amongst different tables. The owner of this casino decides irrespective of your game-play to just tell anyone - Sorry, your time is up, you cant play any longer and you cant even redeem the chips at the main counter. You just have to leave the casino empty handed, whatever you borrowed or lent remains behind. No matter what relations you had developed over years of gaming on different tables just left behind uselessly. You can never come back here. Everyone knows this rule here yet they are constantly fighting, struggling and making efforts to improve their game or play on higher tables or with more people.
I wonder if any of it really matters.

Eventually all players get tired of playing no matter in what state, status, level or table. No matter how much you were enjoying your win or grieving over your loss. No matter how many people you were playing with. How pathetic your game was going or you were having the best time of your game. They all get tired. Hence they have to take mandatory breaks frequently enforced by the dealer, duration varying as per your need but you have to take a break everyday that's for sure. Its something we otherwise know as sleep. People constantly keep planning their next game or strategies or alliance even during this break. It seems nobody willingly wants to relax. Some players are very clumsy & lethargic always looking for an easy hand, where as some are over enthusiastic or very ambitious. None the less they are all totally indulged in some game or the other. Some playing it fair and some trying to cheat.

After being a player myself for years and years, I saw that playing is endless and futile. It doesn't really make a difference how good or bad you play. How much you earned or lost. How many people know you or which tables you play on. What tricks and tips you have. How much experience you have. All of it mundane and inconsequential. I learned that its much more fun to just watch people play here and not to exhaust my energy on any table. To just be a wanderer in this casino and not a player. Some call me crazy, some call me fool, some call me lost, some call me a loser, where as there are plenty of others who love my company when they are shuffling between tables. It helps them get fresh ideas & perspective which at times improves their game play, or they just love to share details of how their games has been going and what plans they have for next hand. The more they realize it, more they seek to talk to me when shuffling, but rarely anyone actually asks as to what made me quit and what am I doing now ( I used to be a decent player, at least sustainable). Rather often being overwhelmed with their solicitude they make baffling demands or inquiry as to how long do I intend to stay away from the tables or its a must to play on some table to stay inside the casino. I tell them otherwise that its a secret but I have learned that its not mandatory here to play. These players are not always oblivious to the relaxed state of my being. Even they agree that they value this sense of calm and peace a lot which I have found and are dedicatedly, devotedly seeking it on some random table. I just smile. I ask them that would it be alright if the owner threw you out of the casino right now, it scares them, they always have some pretext or goal or ambition to let them play for some more time. I smile again.

Now a days I even say sometimes that I have been granted an appointment with the owner of this casino whom nobody has ever seen and he might just randomly call me at any point. If I am found playing at that instance I will miss the chance or opportunity to meet him. As no excuse will work or be accepted. You have to be absolutely free from all tables then only he will meet you. Yeah helping players in any way while they are shuffling between tables is not considered a business or pre-occupation. I love doing it. It may seem a waste of time to a lot of people who are busy in their games but to me it sounds like the most exciting idea. Who knows what all prospects and possibilities might be their when I finally get to meet the man. I am happy waiting just like you are happy playing. I don't think that should be a problem to anyone ;-).