Bought Lessons

I recently heard the phrase 'That's a bought lesson' when I was talking to a friend about a particular  situation. That phrase took me back to my childhood. I was raised with my two brothers by our single dad. Our parents made great kids but just couldn't make it as a couple. My dad filed for divorce and was granted custody of us three and so life began. It was a unique life to say the least. My dad was 40 when I was born so the generation gap just set us up for even more uniqueness! I learned a lot from my dad about life and those lessons apply to situations even now. I can remember growing up and some of the craziest mistakes I made were ones that I was warned about before hand. Then there were euphemisms that went along with the lessons. For example, "Y'all don't believe (that) fat meat is greasy" which is the equivalent of "You gone learn today" in today's expressive terms. My all time favorite was: "Enough is enough and too much stank!" 

At any rate, I have learned that a bought lesson is several things:

• A bought lesson is one that shouldn't even be a lesson
• A bought lesson is one that can be paid for over and over again or it can be one big lesson in which the effects can be felt for years to come
• A bought lesson can be painful on many levels
• The pain of a bought lesson will stay with you for a while or it will stay with you for life
• A bought lesson is one that you were prepared against but didn't heed to the warning

The older I get, the more I realize that a life that is made up of mostly bought lessons is one that is full of pain and regrets. But the question is how do I keep from being the proud owner of a life that is built on bought lessons???

I guess I would say that I have to live life with my eyes wide open. I need to remember the days of my youth and apply knowledge and wisdom to my present state of being. Like the saying goes: 'When you know better, you do better'. I don't like to pay for things unnecessarily so am learning to be slow to act and quick to think. I am learning that the word 'no' is necessary and needed in life. Denials are temporary--that dress (or one just as cute) will be there next time; that dessert is NOT begging for me to eat it; no, I can't sleep in just 5 more minutes! 

There is truly no feeling like that of a bought lesson!