The Price of Admission

Today’s Improptu:

When I was a little girl, we would take a family vacation every summer. Once while we were preparing to tour a building, probably some dead presidents home, I asked Dad, “Why are you giving him money?” “That’s the price of admission,” he replied in a straightforward manner. Like most things my father said, I didn’t think much of it at the time, but later I came to understand the importance of the price of admission.

We pay to do all kinds of things in our lives. Some of what we pay for we can easily see like movie thickets, concert tickets, parking tickets and the like. However, much of the time the price of something cannot be seen, I didn’t expect college to cost me confidence, or my job sucking my brain dry, or losing laughter to suppress anger. When was the last time you took account of the price you’ve paid to be where you are in your life today?

While we cannot take back or redo the choices made yesterday or years ago, taking stock of the cost of those choices in hindsight gives each of us an opportunity to acknowledge the unexpected loss, recapture the ideals lost or even become more grateful for the price paid to walk a given path.

So much of my life is spent running to avoid seeing too much, so today I pause to take stock of my current situation and acknowledge the pieces and parts paid to walk this path.

Comments

[Gary M.]

I can't know the value my Dad would put on the price he paid to have all four kids in one of the best public high schools in the country. But I do know some of the price, like coming home after his children were in bed, or staying over in The City because it was too late when he finished work. The price he paid, like not following his dream because he cared more about providing for his children. There were many more prices, that the entire family paid, but what I got out of the deal was priceless. I got to know that my dad would do anything for us. I got a great education. And I got taught a lesson on how not to give your children the world, if it means that you won't be in their world.

[kmsqrd]

Yeah, parents paying prices their children wish they hadn't often, but as I remind myself when I start complaining about my childhood, they loved me enough to do that and they did the best they could with what they had/knew. It's rough, but that little phrase is of my keys to being a less bitter adult. The point I was attempting to make when writing free-form last night was that while the innocence cannot be regained some of the joy can. ... And now my lack of poetry kills me 'cause I don't know how to say what I'm trying to say.

[stag]

Interesting post. Shouldn't you be getting a payoff from your circumstances? (At least that what Dr. Phil says!) If you're paying more that you're getting paid, maybe it's time to rethink things. Not that I'm an expert on this, I'm obviously counting my own payoffs with work right now, but I know you have to look out for yourself and keep yourself first priority, and that includes maximizing you own pay backs, and minimizing your "prices of admission". Just a thought...

[kmsqrd]

A payoff in what sense? The prices paid have not been for naught, but rather were more that what I expected to spend for lessons I didn't intend to learn. I don't know that I was trying to balance the sheet, but rather I was attempting to assess the true costs.