The price tag

Everything asks for something—

A loaf of bread asks for money,

A harvest asks for seasons,

A skill asks for patience,

A dream asks for years.

Some prices jingle in our pockets,

Others slip quietly from our calendars.

The world keeps no single currency.

For all things gained,

Something is given in return—

Sometimes a coin,

Sometimes an hour,

Sometimes a piece of the heart.

The wisdom lies not in avoiding the price,

But in choosing carefully

What is worth paying for.

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