Our American crisis du jour is gun control.  But does controlling certain types of guns REALLY keep us safe or maybe just make some of us feel safe? We Americans want so badly to be protected from every harm in life from disease, accidents, murders, and terrorism, that we give up more and more freedom to feel safer in our minds. So, do controlling law abiding citizens really deter criminals? Let’s explore this concept.

Take my home state of Tennessee. Our law makers enacted a law to curb the production of methamphetamines or crystal meth, which is a huge problem here. In our government’s wisdom, the solution was to move the products that were key ingredients off of the pharmacy shelves to behind the counter so EVERYONE had to show an ID and register to purchase sinus medicine. For those of you that have never been to my beautiful state. We are the allergy and sinusitis capital of the world. Every type of pollen producing plant lives here. It is common for people that move here to learn if you don’t have sinus problems, stay here for a year and you will. Needless to say a vast majority of Tennesseans purchase this medicine for relief. Our government thought by punishing all law abiding citizens by making it really hard to purchase this medicine and limiting volume it would stop these “Meth Labs”. According to the Nashville “Tennessean” in a recent article the production of “Meth Labs” is up 6% from last year after enacting the law a few years ago. I am personally blown away. You mean to tell me that criminals don’t respect the law? Who knew?

As much as we would all like to be safe from all of the perils in life, we can’t. Government can’t legislate morality. Bad people are going to do bad things, law or no law.  Life is a risk and the only two certainties in life are death and taxes. As a matter of fact death is a part of life. Of the 7 billion people in the world, approximately 155,000 people die every day. Why do we fear it so much? I know, but that’s another blog for another week. My point is we all go sometime. Stop worrying about dying and start living why you are here. It is said on our death beds, we have no regrets of the things we did in our lives, but rather regret the things we didn’t do while we were alive. Get your affairs in order to leave your love ones something or at least buy some good term life insurance if you don’t to make sure they will be provided for. Otherwise, go live your life to the fullest!

“There isn’t so much to be afraid of, out there. I can remember thinking it was funny to find that out, on the last night of my life; I’d spent the rest of it being afraid of everything.” ― Nick Hornby

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Tim Wilhoit is owner/principal of Your Friend 4 Life Insurance Agency in Nashville, TN. He is a family man, father of 3, entrepreneur, insurance agent, life insurance broker, salesman, sales trainer, recruiter, public speaker, blogger and team leader with over 25 years of experience in sales and marketing in the insurance and beverage industries.