When I was a little girl growing up in Brooklyn, I was very close with my grandmother’s sisters. I loved my great aunts – they were a colorful group, all with larger than life personalities. They were great cooks, would talk up a storm (mostly gossiping about the relatives), were always fun but unfortunately, were also big gamblers. 
Despite a tight budget, they managed to spend most of their spare time playing Poker, Canasta, Gin Rummy, “the horses,” “the numbers” (pre-lottery days), and more. You name it, they were in it. Of course they were always losing, but still, they went back again for more and more. The gambling bug never quit.
My mother, asking why they couldn’t get the habit under control, would always be given the same answer – “it’s my therapy.” The card playing was their therapy, the racetrack, their therapy, Bingo, their therapy. What the heck were they talking about?
Years later, I learned. Life is filled with curves, with lots of bumps in the road. How do you cope with life’s highs and lows? Most people find balance in “a therapy.” 
Whether it’s yoga, running, reading or a favorite hobby, having “a therapy” helps calm the soul. (Hopefully, that therapy is not gambling)!
So, what’s my therapy? Mmm.. off to ballet class….
adriaballetbeat 