“Gone Too Soon.” Listen to it on Spotify or Pandora or whatever. Scott Stapp sings about someone who dies earlier than expected. No context is given in the song but in this gluttonous world we live in, full of obesity driven diseases, I immediately picture someone in their mid-40s. Someone with a family, a business, in the prime of their life, seemingly with a long prosperous future ahead of them. But in this case, in my mind, this person did not prioritize health, fitness, or nutrition. So instead of watching his children become adults, spending quality time with his grandchildren, contributing to the well-being of society, he was gone.

The warning signs were there. His doctor had told him he really needed to lose those 20 pounds. In fact, he was already prescribed cholesterol lowering meds. And his blood pressure was always a little high in the doctor’s office. But he felt okay so he pushed those issues to the back of his mind. He could always start working out in a few years when he had more time. And surely the fast food he would grab on occasion wasn’t THAT bad for him; it’s not like he ate it every day or anything.

His wake-up call came too late. There was no coming back from the massive heart attack that seemingly “came out of nowhere.” He was gone too soon.

Don’t let your wake-up call come after it’s too late. The time is now. If not for you, then for those closest too you. No one wants to sing this song at your funeral.