Nothing good in life is free, and even sunlight, beautiful as it is, causes cancer. Not even water, since experts warn that drinking too much of it could harm your brain and kill you, according to a 2018 study by Oxford University. But what if I said you are among the wealthiest people on earth? Would you believe me simply because I said your money could buy riches, but emotional goodies come free of cost? Now you have to believe me, because you can’t put a price on things like warm tight hugs from family and loved ones, appreciation from your seniors, and the emotional bliss that comes with watching the setting sun gleefully replaced with vibrant starts. Admit it, life’s most treasures lie in authentic experiences, which do not require a credit card.
The reason why good things in life are deemed free is that in obtaining priced commodities, the human mind subconsciously assigns a projected value return. That is, when you reach out your wallet and fish out a USD 20 bill to check out a cardigan, you put some expectations on the wear to justify the price. That including the estimated lifetime, the quality of the fabric, the amount of dignity it is supposed to give you and most importantly, the optimistic compliments from outsiders about how it fits. In the event the item fails any of the criteria, we often feel bad about it, the price, or the seller for it not being up to the task. Yet, the same is not valid for the immortal experiences we obtain from bonding with friends and family over drinks or mere chats.
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Similarly, the experience of finding someone who understands the troubles of your soul and encourages you to open up without criticizing or judging is unilateral. Unlike an Amazon purchase, the therapeutic experience of opening up the soul’s troubles is not weighed against expectations or praised. Ultimately, the soul is elevated regardless of the material environment.
Everyone can admit to this – many times, crawling into a comfortable bed and letting your mind drift away into slumber land is often more satisfying than even eating the suavest chicken masala dish prepared by the most experienced chef. The rationale is this – our generation thrives on distraction and attention-seeking. Our typical day is graced with hours of television and online ads, loud traffic and constant noise, which burden the mind. Therefore, the mind prioritizes bliss and calm over other material goodies. Also, hearty laughter with real people becomes a more worthwhile experience that synthetic comedy on TV. Ideally, as the information age progresses, free and immaterial experiences become more and more precious than the priced item.
Happy memories undeniably excite us more than the release of our favourite artiste’s newest album. For centuries, nostalgia has proven to be one of our mind’s greatest indulgences. And like a good night’s sleep or playing your favourite guitar to the sole audience of your dog, (positive) nostalgic memories are associated with decreasing anxiety and alleviating pains for people with heart conditions, according to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That is to say, free mind-and-soul-engaging experiences can heal just a little more than a USD 100 prescription drugs from your local pharmacy.
In conclusion, the list of free things with therapeutic effects is endless, and the benefits are countless. While it would be incorrect to say we can live happily without reaching out to our credit cards and wallets, proper prioritization of our experiences can go a long way in enriching out moral experience. More importantly, the idiom that the best things in life are free reminds us of the value of interpersonal experiences and the divine connection to nature. I thus dare you to live a fuller, more prosperous life by harnessing the free wealth imbued in love, passionate hugs, nostalgia, adventure and curiosity.
References
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. “How Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health?” Retrieved https://www.cdc.gov/features/sleep-heart-health/index.html
Zemke, A. M., Boles, L. H., Gillespie, M., & Viljoen, J. M. (2018). “Guillain–Barré. (2018). Syndrome Hyponatremia: Is It SIADH or Pseudo-hyponatremia?” Oxford Medical Case Reports. (7), 42.
