Are the best things in life really free?

Maybe, maybe not.  But I would like to make this question more complicated by adding another question: How do you know the best thing that will happen to you?

It's impossible to find out at this time, I know.  That's why we always have to include the magic words: "SO FAR".

Someone tells you, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."  Then you would smile and say it's the sweetest thing.  But if you really think about it - how many times did he say this to the wonderful things that happened to him?  How many "so far"s have passed before you?  Maybe you'd feel a little sorry for yourself.  For me, it would only be the sweetest thing if you're the first one he tells that line to, or you're the last.

Don't think that I'm ending my post here, I haven't answered the first question yet.

So, are the best things in life free?

Monica's answer to this is yes, as in her song "Angel of Mine": I look at you looking at me.  Now I know why they say the best things are free.  And for some time I agreed with her.  But what Monica or whoever lyricist wrote that doesn't realize is the thing or things she has missed because she looked at that person referred to as "you" in the song.  Monica's "Angel".

No, nothing is free.

In fact, Mankiw states the 1st principle of economics in his book, "Principles of Economics", and it says, "People face trade-offs". To get one thing, you have to give up something else.  We all face decisions, and in order to achieve a goal, you have to trade off another for it.

This Angel has a price.  Looking at Angel equals not looking at something else.  That "something else" is Angel's price, and this is confirmed by the 2nd principle of economics: "The cost of something is what you give up to get it".  And so Monica pays this price in order to look at this Angel. 

Now, Monica must have a reason for believing that something is free, when actually it's not.  Well, I guess it's just a matter of deciding which is worth more than the other.  For her, that "something else" is worthless, and so she says that looking at her Angel is "free". (See Monica, I'm not trying to attack your song... haha.)  For this reason, I should say that Monica is a rational thinker, because, as the 3rd principle states, "Rational people think at the margin". A rational decision-maker takes action only if the benefit of the action exceeds its cost.

Sometimes making decisions hurt.  If it's not you who's hurting, it's somebody else.  Because sometimes, someone makes a decision, and you are one of the options.  It's either you or someone/something else.  You would want to think that that somebody (the decision-maker) is being irrational, because it would hurt to accept that for him, it's the rational thing to do.

And it hurts more to know the 5th principle: "Trade can make everyone better off." This sacrificing for what he wants to do exposes him to things that he does best.  So he dumps you because he thinks he's better off with the other choice - may it be another person, a career, or just the life without you.

What hurts the most is that you are ONE OF THE OPTIONS.  You ask yourself, why oh why would you have to be?  It's not your fault, dude.  Sometimes someone just believes that you are the price he has to pay for something.  JUST THE PRICE AND NOT THE PRIZE.  I know that sucks.

Someday you will realize that that someone isn't worthy of being considered as your prize.  Someday he will regret that he made you one of his options in the first place.  Someday, he will pay.

The hard part is waiting for that "someday" to come.