I got a letter in the mail last week.

It was a small envelope, so I immediately knew what it was. I was hoping for a thick packet, but this was just a simple #10 business envelope. Without even opening it, I knew what it said.

It wasn’t a rejection letter from a writing submission. I get those all the time. I’m used to those. (In fact, the real rejection in writing comes from not receiving a rejection letter, but that is another story for another day.)

No, this was from SunLife Insurance.

I have never had any Life Insurance other than what my employer gives me automatically. I think it’s $25,000.

When my son was born, I knew I had to take out an insurance policy on myself. After all, if something happens to me, I want to make sure he is cared for. When annual open enrollment at my workplace came around, I signed up for $200,000 worth of life insurance. It was going to cost me $11 a month. Sounded like a good deal.

I thought that was the end of it. I expected it to be a simple process like signing up for medical insurance when you started a job. You just get it. The end.

And I thought that, until about two days before school let out for Christmas break. I got an email from HR that said I needed to fill out a form. Standard; everyone who takes out life insurance has to fill out such a form.

Still, I was not panicked.

Until I opened the form. It was extremely short.

Name. Social. Birthdate. Do I smoke or drink? Height. Weight.

Crap.

Jeremy Logsdon.
Social entered.
April 19, 1978.
I never smoke, never have. I virtually never drink (maybe twice per year).
Six feet tall.
370 pounds.

I didn’t lie. I sure thought about shaving one hundred pounds off that number, but what if I had to actually take a medical exam? The form even stated that all information must be accurate and may be checked for veracity. So, I entered the information and hit submit.

I was hopeful. I hoped that it was just a formality. Enter your info and get life insurance! Take care of your family after you die!

But nope. Not for me. That thin letter said I could not take care of my family after I die. If I die, Tina and Moon Pie get nothing but burial expenses.

I was rejected.

No life insurance policy.

And truthfully, I understand why, and it scares me.

I am a death risk. The chances of me dying are far too high in the next year.

This is unacceptable.

I refuse to be a death risk any longer.

All year, I am going to hit my weight loss as hard as I can. I will count points. I will watch what I eat. I will limit unclean foods. I will move my body. I will put on muscle and lose fat.

I will not die.

Next November, I will sign up for life insurance again.

I will be approved this time.

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