You’re Paying with Your Whole Life

Matt called me and described how he was struggling personally and in his relationships. "Sounds like a lot of work," I said.

"It is," he said. "I'm exhausted all the time."

"So you're exhausted, miserable, and alone. That's the reward."

"Not much of a reward."

"No, but that's what you've got nonetheless. And for that reward, what are you paying?"

"Well, I have to protect myself all the time and manipulate the people around me."

"You're paying with your whole life. What do you think of the deal so far?"

We rarely consider that whatever we have in life, we're paying with our whole lives. We can't avoid that price. We pay with our whole lives for whatever we get: happiness or misery, freedom or the bondage of fear, Real Love or constantly getting and protecting. The price is set.

The question is, what do you want in the end? I've discovered that as long as I'm going to pay with my whole life, why not make decisions that lead to feeling loved, to being loving, and to being responsible? The reward of these decisions is happiness and fulfillment, now and always.