I’m a little ticked because I wrote this once and closed the window without posting it. Anyway. Let me put on my smiley face and do it again. 
I’ve heard it said that the best things in life are free. In today’s economy, I seriously doubt that. I’m going to share with you my list of the best things, and you can tell me whether or not you think they’re free. I’ll explain my rationale as I respond to your comments.
1. love
2. air
3. beaches
4. sunsets
5. water
6. shrimp and grits
7. strawberries
8. intimacy
9. sex
10. family
I’m surprised I remembered everything on my list!! I say that at least 9 out of 10 on the list aren’t free, and I can’t wait to tell you why. You name some of your best things, and I bet you I can tell you why they aren’t free either.
If you mean free from a money standpoint, then love, air, beaches, sunsets, intimacy, sex and family are free. But there is such a thing as expending time and energy and giving of oneself.
Christianity teaches us that nothing in this life is truly free or truly ours. We are tasked with being stewards while we’re here.
Love, not free. Real love should cost you something. It cost Jesus his life to love us, and where a man’s treasure is, that’s where his heart is also. That’s Proverbs. Air? Eh, maybe. But you may need some money to live in a place where it’s actually clean and clear. Beaches, you have to be able to afford to get to one that’s public. Sunsets, not so free if you live in the concrete jungle where you can barely see the sky. Intimacy has an emotional cost that can easily translate into a monetary one. Sex? You know that’s not free, and family is expensive as I don’t know what. Are your children and wife free of cost?
Salvation is free, but even that was paid for by blood. I guess that makes it not free.
Comment by profunksticated — May 29, 2008 @ 1:31 p
Oh and I see that you listed shrimp and grits! LOL!
You know it!!!
Comment by profunksticated — May 29, 2008 @ 1:31 p
I didn’t think of sex, intimacy and family as you describe, but you’re correct. Family is expensive, esp. when your kids start to drive. Auto insurance goes through the roof! LOL!
That’s one part of parenting I do not look forward to experiencing. And I don’t even have a family yet.
Comment by profunksticated — May 29, 2008 @ 1:31 p
1. Love - definitely not free. in order to truly love, you have to give of yourself. you have to sacrifice. that costs you something, not necessarily in a negative way, but it still costs.
2. Air - hmmm…potentially not free, if you worry about the effects of so much air pollution. if you don’t worry about things like that, then it’s free.
3. beaches - unless you live right on one, you will have to travel to get to a beach. even if one is within driving distance, gas prices are a mutha.
4.sunsets - i’d say they’re free. i can see beautiful ones just by stepping outside (depending on where i am at the time).
5. water - not free, especially if you pay utilities like me.
6. shrimp and grits - even if you catch your own shrimp and grow your own grits, you’re paying for some kind of supplies/tools.
7. strawberries - same as above. and if you buy them from the store, they are going to cost you a grip especially the organic ones!!
8. intimacy - not free. it costs you vulnerability and sacrifice. it costs giving of yourself and time. it costs your letting down your guard and letting someone else into the deepest parts of you. none of that is ever free.
9. sex - chile please…never free. if you’re unmarried (or married and having sex with someone other than your spouse) and having sex, from a Biblical standpoint, it’s sin - and “the wages of sin is death”. wages = not free. plus, if you’re having sex (again, unmarried or extramarital) with different partners you’re risking disease and/or unplanned pregnancies, neither of which are free. if you ARE married, sex costs you intimacy (a GOOD cost, but still a cost). can also produce children, which cost a grip. it also unites and bonds you to the person with whom you’re having sex, married or not. so even if it’s “just sex” to you, you’re giving away a part of yourself (whether you realize or not).
10. family - costs money, love, time, intimacy, patience, compassion, patience, grace, mercy, patience, sacrifice…did i say patience?
and though it’s not on the list, you mentioned salvation in your response to profunksticated. i agree with you, salvation is not free. though it’s free to us in the sense that it’s a gift that we receive when we put our faith in Christ. however, it’s not free in the sense that A: Christ paid the debt - we ourselves were bought with His blood. and B: when we accept Christ, it costs us ourselves. we die to ourselves and become a new creature in Him. a GREAT cost, but a big cost nonetheless.
if no one else has told you today, i love you
Thank you, my kindred spirit. I love you, too. And you hit every nail on the head! You go, girl!!!!
Comment by dragonflysoul — May 29, 2008 @ 1:31 p
lets see
1. love- u have to work at it, compromise, etc
2. air - pure/clean air isn’t free, this last saturday while me and a mate were out shopping, i needed a massage and the only place that did ten minutes shoulder massages, was a place where they sold gas, u sit and inhale clean fresh air, and pay 10 pounds for 10 minutes of that, while u get a shoulder massage
3. beaches- if you do not live very close to it, it will cost u a lot of money to get to a beach
4. well, that maybe free…depending on where you are, if u r too busy focused on getting by, and dealing with life’s dilemmas, watching the sunset may be very luxurious
5. water – I pay my water bills, so no it isn’t free, back in the days, in Africa when u went to the well to fetch oure clean water, that was free… now the water there is disease ridden
6. shrimp and grits- that ain’t free at all
7. Strawberries – they are way too expensive, I went to the supermarket the other day, they were gonna cost me £2, for a few
8. intimacy – sex can be free, but real intimacy, with someone special, that kind that send shivers down your spine, and u could have sworn you went to haven and back… that takes a lifetime to achieve, A LOT of work and i9t isn’t free, or maybe it is.
9. Sex – that can be free, but there is a price to pay, the after effects are almost not worth it, diseases, feeling that the other person took a part of you, feeling used with the wrong person… so is it free, if u r gonna feel that way
10. family- they may be free, but the question is, do u want them? Some families u could do without. And I am sure orphans will disagree with the idea that family is free.
The only free thing I can think of, is the gift of life…that first breath, what happens beyond that point is subject to your own circumstances, the choices u make, the cards you get dealt and how u deal with all that…
Awww, your last line is priceless and so true. I’m going to think on that a while and probably quote you before the day is out.
Comment by Shazza — May 30, 2008 @ 1:31 p