At my son’s first Bon Jovi concert, his months of saving and extra chores ran headfirst into $80 t-shirt prices and a merch table fueled by greed. Faced with three bad options—feed the system, buy a knockoff, or deepen his disappointment—I realized thriving isn’t about perfectly “above the line” choices. It’s about staying awake in the messy middle, honoring what matters most, and leading ourselves forward with courage and compassion.