Luckily, your life lesson only cost you time, money and some inconvenience.
The lessons are priceless.
Taxes are not levied for the benefit of the taxed.
Government agencies exist for maintaining the status quo (of which you, poor tax paying citizen, are not a part of).
Yes, it only cost me a portion of my life... ;)
One of the "life lessons" is to avoid entanglements with the organizations (read government) that charge such a high fee in terms of wasted life and time...