Because I would give it all back to have my health.

The entertainer David Gest, a man once surrounded by fame, wealth, and the glitter of the public eye, spoke a truth that echoes beyond the world of celebrity: “Because I would give it all back to have my health.” These words, though simple, carry the weight of ages. They are the confession of one who has looked upon life’s fleeting riches and discovered their true worth. Beneath the sparkle of fortune lies the oldest wisdom known to humankind—that health is the foundation of all joy, and without it, even the greatest treasures turn to dust.

In every age, men have sought power, gold, and glory, believing these things to be the crown of existence. Yet, when sickness enters the body and pain takes hold, all that was precious fades before a single wish: to be well again. Gest’s words were not the boast of a man who had gained much, but the lament of one who had learned that the body is the temple of the spirit, and when the temple crumbles, even kings must bow before fragility. His quote reminds us that health is not merely the absence of disease, but the harmony of mind, body, and soul—a treasure invisible to the eye, yet priceless to the heart.

The ancient philosopher Herophilus, one of the first to study the mysteries of the human body, once wrote, “When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot become manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied.” So too did Gest, centuries later, utter the same eternal truth in his own way. For all his fame, for all the wealth he gathered in his life, he came to understand that well-being is life’s first and last wealth, and all else is but ornament upon it. What good is gold to one who cannot rise from his bed? What joy is applause to one whose heart is weary and weak?

Consider the story of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, who unified a nation yet feared death above all things. Surrounded by endless riches, he sent explorers to find the elixir of immortality, consuming potions said to grant eternal life. Ironically, it was those very tonics—laden with mercury—that brought him to his end. His empire endured, but he did not. His tale, like Gest’s reflection, warns us that the pursuit of power without care for health is the pursuit of illusion. True strength lies not in conquest, but in balance, in reverence for the body that carries the soul.

Gest’s words are also a mirror for our age, when so many trade sleep for success and peace for possessions. We live as if we can purchase time, as if the body were an engine to be run without rest. Yet even the finest machine breaks when driven beyond its design. Health, unlike gold, cannot be hoarded; it must be tended daily with humility and gratitude. In sickness, life reveals its priorities; in wellness, we too often forget them. Gest’s lament becomes a prayer for all who live too fast: cherish your health before it is gone, for one day you may give all you own to reclaim it.

The lesson, then, is clear and timeless: honor the vessel of your life. Feed it with nourishment, move it with care, let rest renew it, and let gratitude sustain it. Wealth and status may come and go, but a healthy heart, a clear mind, and a strong body are blessings beyond measure. Do not wait for illness to teach you the value of wellness. Remember that every breath freely taken is a silent treasure, every step without pain a gift of grace.

So, children of the restless age, hear the wisdom in David Gest’s sorrowful truth. Guard your health as you would guard your dearest love, for it is the lamp that lights all other joys. If wealth is the ocean and fame the wind, then health is the vessel that carries them—lose it, and all else is lost to the waves. Be wise, therefore, and choose to live not for accumulation, but for vitality. For when your body is at peace, your soul can sing, and in that song lies the truest wealth of all.