Health, unfortunately, is not guaranteed. It is a seemingly elusive state we all desire to be in, and it requires a lot of intentional work to come close. As we continue to slowly get better, the goal posts move farther and farther away. If our health begins to decline, it usually does so much more quickly than we’d like. While we can’t promise ourselves to be free of disease, does that mean we shouldn’t try?

Two days before my seventeenth birthday, I left the house at seven in the morning to retake my SAT exam. Both of my parents were sitting at the kitchen table. This was odd for them on a Saturday. My dad would usually be out of the house working on a project by that time, but for some reason he decided to stay inside a little bit longer. I said goodbye to them before leaving and told my dad I would see him later. 

After I finished my exam, I walked out of Liberty High School to find my aunt and uncle. I couldn’t imagine why they would be there and that they would be waiting for me. I walked up to them, confused, and they told me that my dad had a heart attack. 

My dad had five heart attacks over the course of the prior six years, so this was not new news to me. But when I asked what hospital the ambulance brought him to, I didn’t get the answer I was expecting. 

My father passed away that morning from his last heart attack. He died at the age of 51. I didn’t get to see him later.

Heart disease runs in my family on my dad’s side. My great aunt was one of the first patients to have a pacemaker installed in the United States. My grandmother had a stroke that put her in assisted living for the last few years of her life. 

My dad had five heart attacks, two strokes and many stents placed in his heart prior to his death. I’m sure as you’re reading this, you can probably think of a disease that runs in your family too. 

The thing is, we all are subject to diseases through our genetics. If we don’t take care of ourselves, these diseases will most likely take over our lives. I am grateful to live in the times we do, not because of all of the ways we are encouraged to be unhealthy, but because of all of the insight we have into the way our bodies work and how to best take care of them. 

It’s up to us whether we will choose to proactively take care of our health or if we will wait for the worst and have to react. As Joyce Sunada said, “If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.” 

Taking steps toward living a healthier life won’t guarantee you’ll escape all disease, but it’ll certainly increase your chances of living a long, enjoyable life. My father waited until it was too late for him to proactively prioritize his health. Because of this, I work every day to try to improve mine. 

Even though I don’t fully have control of the outcome, it’s better to be proactive and have a chance of long-term health, rather than waiting to see what happens and it being too late.