You wake up early in the morning, ready to begin your day, but the truth is that you have no idea what that day will bring. You may plan, organize, and imagine how things will unfold, yet life often surprises us with moments we could never have anticipated. And when night comes and you lay down to sleep, even then you do not know if you will open your eyes again the next morning. This is the reality of human existence. Life is a breath, a fragile vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes. It moves quickly, like the wind passing between your fingers—impossible to grasp or contain. Everything can change in mere tenths of a second, and embracing this truth is not pessimism but wisdom.
Life truly is fragile, delicate, and constantly shifting. It takes only one story, one unexpected phone call, one medical visit to hear news we never imagined, and suddenly everything changes. Soldiers march into war not knowing if they will return. Drivers get into their cars daily without being aware of what could happen on the road. People board a plane expecting to land safely at their destination, yet life offers no guarantees. All around us are countless scenarios, thousands of ways in which our lives can take a sudden turn, and no human being has the ability to escape this reality.
The Bible reminds us of this profound truth when it says: “There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.” (Ecclesiastes 8:8). These ancient words still speak loudly today. Someone once expressed it well: “We have been planted in an orchard and we have no choice.” In other words, we did not choose to be born, nor can we choose the day or hour of our death. Life begins without our consent and ends without our permission. Death is not something we can negotiate with or delay through sheer willpower. It comes when it comes, and no amount of riches, knowledge, or strength can stop it.
At the end of every day, tears fall somewhere in the world. Mothers lose children, children lose parents, spouses lose the love of their life, and friends lose those who walked with them for years. Grief does not discriminate. Every day there is mourning because every day someone takes their last breath. This is the course of life, and as painful as it is to face, death is always near.
It does not matter who you are—rich or poor, well-known or unknown, honored or ignored. Death stands at the door of every individual alike. No one is exempt. This should not lead us to fear but to understanding. We must recognize that one day we will stand before the omnipotent God, the One who gave us life in the first place. And because our existence is fragile and fleeting, we desperately need the Creator of the universe to give our days meaning, hope, and purpose.
Today, we lift our prayers for all who mourn. We ask God to bring comfort to those who have lost loved ones to war, illness, accidents, suicide, or any other tragedy. Our hearts join with thousands of families around the world who wake up each morning to the painful reality of absence. We remember those whose lives ended suddenly and without warning. And today, in a special way, we remember the nine people who died on January 27, 2020, in that heartbreaking helicopter accident—among them Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter. Their passing shook the world and reminded us once again of how fragile life truly is.
May God teach us to count our days, to value every moment, and to trust Him deeply in the midst of life’s uncertainty.