Name: Zheng Jiayin Class: 5EIndex number: 10

‘The best things in life are free.’ Do you agree?

A literal definition of the proverb ‘The best things in life are free’ is that one

is not required to pay for the most priceless things in life. It is one’s own perception

that determines what these “best things” comprise of, which may differ from one

individual to another, but in general, “best things” refer to the invaluable things in life

that are linked intimately with one’s emotional needs and make one genuinely happy.

These “best things” would then be the things that are emotionally fulfilling, such as

love and simple daily pleasures, rather than material gains, as it is proven by the

Global Happiness Index that material success does not generate true happiness. A

possible intent of the proverb is to allow the reader to see that these “best things in

life” are without any monetary charge. However, if “free” were to be examined in a

broader scope, the supposed “free” nature of the “best things in life” would mean that

these “best things” do not involve any form of cost and exertion on one’s part. In

regard to this, one feels that the best things in life do come at a price, as it is

necessary for one to put in substantial effort in order to acquire and maintain them.

The best things in life require one to make an actual mental exertion to

fully appreciate their worth. In modern society, where people lead hectic lifestyles

and are generally caught up with the pursuit of material success, many fail to notice

the beauty of simple daily pleasures and natural wonders. Due to the precedence of

material obsessions over the best things in life, the very pleasures that would

effectively lead to emotional fulfillment are usually deemed as unimportant to one’s

material values and thus treated with indifference. By relegating these best things in

life to the bottom of one’s priorities, one is in fact eliminating his ability to satisfy his

own emotional needs. Hence, in order for one to seek to embrace the best things in

life ---simple daily pleasures and the wonders of Nature --- one must first be able to

change his mindset to recognise the importance of their existence. Whether it is

watching sunsets, feeling the gentle breeze caress our faces, breathing in the aroma

of our mother’s cooking or simply laughing unreservedly; one has to make a mental

effort to appreciate the effects that these acts have on our emotional well-being.

Thus, it is evident that the best things in life are not without cost; one is unable to

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Name: Zheng Jiayin Class: 5EIndex number: 10enjoy the best things in life if one does not invest any mental effort to discover their

essentiality.

After a mental exertion is made, a physical endeavour is then necessary

for the acquiring of the best things in life. Companionship --- love and friendship --- is

a fundamental emotional need of human beings, but it does not come freely. By

finding true love, one would be able to satisfy this need, but one must also give love

in return. Likewise, the most effective method of befriending others is to attempt to

forge bonds of friendship with them. Even though the simple daily pleasures and

wonders of Nature are all around us and freely available, they do not come without a

price, as one has to put in a considerable amount of effort to actively seek them out.

Before being able to savour the best things in life, one has to take the step of making

a personal investment. It can be thus observed that the best things in life, although

obtainable, do entail a form of payment.

Moreover, the best things in life are personal responsibilities for one to

constantly uphold. Love serves to provide emotional fulfillment, but it requires one’s

endless efforts and dedication to be maintained. It is also a responsibility for both

parties involved in a relationship, and is not sustainable unless a steadfast

commitment is made by both to their union. This applies to the relationship one

shares with his family members and friends as well. Furthermore, the beauty of

natural wonders may be marveled at, but one must also realize that he is at the

same time bound to the duty of maintaining this beauty. If one does not devote

himself to environmental conservation, the spectacles of Nature will be eroded away

in time. Good health, too, requires one’s toil for it to be sustained. One is

accountable for his own physical soundness, and to maintain it, one has to make the

necessary physical exertion of exercising regularly and having a well-balanced diet.

Undeniably, the best things in life would not last unless everyone makes a

substantial effort to cherish and protect them. Thus, the best things in life are not

free.

However, it can be argued that from a monetary standpoint, the best

things in life are free. These invaluable things in life are priceless and do not have

any monetary value attached to them. True love and friendship are sacred

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Name: Zheng Jiayin Class: 5EIndex number: 10possessions which cannot simply be bought with money. The works of Nature are

ever-present and easily available, yet cannot be exchanged with money too.

Moreover, one is unable to purchase the abundant simple daily pleasures in life with

money. Hence, one concedes that the best things in life are free from any monetary

charge, yet one should not seek to confine “free” to such a narrow definition. These

best things in life, after all, require one’s strife and efforts for them to be appreciated

and maintained. Therefore, even though the best things in life are indeed without any

monetary cost, they do involve other forms of payment and exertion on one’s part.

In the light of these factors, it is apparent that the best things in life do

come at a price. The fact that they are not free from any cost demonstrates to one

that it is necessary to invest substantial effort and hard work in order to obtain them.

This also serves to reiterate the saying of ‘There is no free lunch’, implying to the

reader that if he is perpetually consumed by the belief that the best things in life

would naturally arrive at his feet without him putting in any effort, he would never

truly be able to obtain them.

CommentsIntroduction - good attempt at qualifying the link between ‘the best things in life’ with

finding happiness- stand is clear

Structure - claim and elaboration on the need to make mental exertion, physical effort, etc, to appreciate the best things in life appear forced.

- nice balanceLikely grade- pass

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