Paying The Price

by Michele Boy | October 27, 2022

 “You’re going to pay a price for every bloody thing you do and everything you don’t do. You don’t get to choose to not pay a price. You get to choose which poison you’re going to take.”
Jordan B. Peterson.
  I am currently reading the book Killing the Legends by Bill O’Reilly. 
In the book he talks about Colonel Tom Parker, a con artist who was Elvis Presley’s manager. He took Elvis for exorbitant amounts of money, wasted it on gambling and instead of helping Elvis, he served himself. 
Elvis was a loyal man and refused to turn away from Parker till near the end of his life.
 But one note caught my attention. Elvis began reading books. Parker got mad. “Reading just clutters your mind.”
Elvis had dreams. He wanted to make serious films. He had visions. But he let Parker take over. 
  I think I love biographies because they offer insight into another’s life and I can take from it the lessons from their lives. 
 I like the Peterson quote because it reminds me every choice I make has a consequence - good or bad.
I bought a large metal sign that says Nobody cares, work harder.
 If someone wrote a biography of your life, what would you want them to know about you?
 I would want them to know I never stopped trying. I never gave up. 
 I started taking a new vitamin and I was told the most important thing is to take it consistently every day.
 I laughed. The only thing I am consistent about is not being consistent. I will try almost anything once. Repetition is not my strong suit. 
But if I am honest, there are some things I am consistent with and those are usually not my best habits.
So on Tuesday I tried again. I started a small cycling routine. On Wednesday I did a little longer one. 
 Today I am going to try to add to it. If every day I can lay my head down at night and know I tried, then I have peace. 
   If I am breathing I am trying. And I am growing and learning. 
I went shopping for myself last weekend. It’s something I haven’t done in years. 
It was uncomfortable. I have changed. My body has changed. But a kind sales lady helped outfit me in new clothes and I had a moment when I realized it was time to embrace where I am at today and dress accordingly. 
  Every day is a chance to start over. Every day is a chance to add in new positive elements to your life. 
 The biggest regrets I have in my life are not being in the moment and enjoying that time of my life. 
 So I am stopping today to realize I am exactly where I am supposed to be. And as I go forward I hope to slow down a little more and make better decisions for myself. 
At the end of my shopping excursion, I met up with family and truly enjoyed every minute of it. 
In the words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”