Law of Equivalent Exchange

"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth." -Alphonse Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist



People say that Christmas is a time for family. I tend to find it as a good time for reflection.

Four years ago, in the first nine weeks of school, I was a happy child. I had finally entered high school, I had friends, I was proud to be part of the school's Cross Country team, I loved my teachers, and I had good classmates (except for my fourth block class). There was even a slight possibility for me to have developed a relationship with a girl in my third block class. But, it was not to last. I made a choice, and that choice changed my life.

I chose to leave public schooling.

Since then, I have had the "honour" of attending four different high schools. At each of these schools, there have only been a few things that I have enjoyed about each school. At one, it was the ease of classes, at another it was the people. My choice led me away from the happiness that I had once known. Yes, each of the schools has taught me something, and I have become much more wise than I ever have been before, but was it really worth it? Was any of it really worth the pain, the effort, the Hell that I had been through? Let us take a look at it and see.

At the public school, my classes were easy. With the exception of my advanced class, I essentially did nothing, and yet received an "A." In the advanced class, I actually had to do work to get that "A."
The majority of the people I ignored, and they, likewise. Those that I did have interactions with were descent enough to me that it was tolerable.
The layout of the school, once gotten used to, actually made sense.

In my current school, I actually have to apply myself. It is a feeling that I am not used to at all.
The people are actually nice to me. They do not treat me like dirt, and the majority seem to care about what happens to me....especially about what happens between myself and a girl at the school.
The layout of the school makes no sense whatsoever, but I have learned it.

I guess that I ended up trading my contentment and comfort (of which is most valuable to me) for something just short of happiness (which is also of the utmost value to me). Perhaps I did not exchange anything, but merely transformed comfort into happiness?