Life is a supermarket – Prices

Last time I've talked of how life is like a supermarket in the sense that we can do (shop) as we please, but in the end we get to the cashier and have to pay – these are the consequences of our actions.

If life is a supermarket, I think that as good consumers, we must learn to shop wisely. And the first step is to understand the concept of PRICE.

When I was 19 I spent 2 months in Geneva and discovered there an amazing thing – the concept of "price per kilo". At first I didn't understand it and saw it as another eccentricity of the Swiss. In face of the huge variety of cheese in all tastes, shapes and sizes, I would simply buy what I thought to be the cheapest cheese (I was a young student on a limited budget). But I wondered  why would the Swiss waste time, money and ink on writing the price per kilo? This is when I've realized that it's the only indication as to the REAL PRICE of things. Not always the lowest price was the cheapest: sometimes I paid less because the piece of cheese I got was much smaller or the quality of cheese was poorer.

Well, the same can be applied to life: only when we're aware of the "price per kilo" we can make a wise choice.

But how do I calculate it? I'm not sure there's just one answer, since I think it has to do with the context and also with the person involve. And there are so many kinds of "coins". But one idea which helps me work it out is the concept of "trade-off".

A simple example: it's Sunday afternoon and a friend invites me to go to the cinema and watch a movie I'd like to watch. Another good friend, whom I haven't seen in a long time, tells me the only time he's available in the next few weeks is just on this afternoon. And I'm a bit tired so I fantasize of a long siesta. So – the price of any activity I chose is the loss of the other activities.

That is a (sad?) fact of life.

But – if instead of stomping with anger at the need to give up on things I'd look at what I've chosen, what I've gained, I might not only learn about the price of things, I can learn about the VALUE of things.

Because my choices, their consequences and prices, are the image of who I am: my values, my priorities in life. Seeing how much I'm willing to sacrifice in order to get something, shows me how important it is for me.

For instance, working overtime earns me money and prestige but make me loose precious time with my spouse and children.

If I think it's too high a price, maybe it's time to reconsider my shopping cart.

But – if I do stand behind my "shopping choices", it might restore value to many of the things I forgot to appreciate.

And what of those who can't decide?  Are you such a person? Do you really want something or someone else, who doesn't take your personality, value, likes and dislike into account, to make decisions for you?

Because those who don't decide let chance or other people chose for them. Maybe they feel it exempts them from responsibility, but it definitely takes away their control over their life. And they still have to "pay" (bear the consequences of what "happen to them"), only they didn't chose this product themselves. That is why I think they pay the highest price.

Are you ready to look carefully at your cart and check those prices? I wish you a pleasant shopping experience.