If you’ve been on planet Earth this week, you’ve seen the heart-wrenching devastation in Haiti—the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, now shattered by disaster. The images are unbearable: families torn apart, lives buried under rubble, a nation crying out for help.

I can’t stop thinking about them. But I also can’t stop thinking about us—here in America—watching from our couches, on HD flat screens, with food in the fridge and clean water at our fingertips. We send up prayers, text our donations, maybe even shed tears. But let’s be honest: when the coverage fades, will we really take away anything lasting? What should we be learning from this?

Taking Things for Granted

For two days I’ve wrestled with that question. Everything happens for a reason, right? Maybe this moment is about human unity. Maybe it’s about learning gratitude for what we have. But those answers feel too easy.

What if the real lesson is about time? About how we spend the only non-renewable resource we have.

We live in a culture addicted to more—more wealth, more stuff, more attention, more comfort. Even when we think we’re living simply, compared to Haiti we’re living the high life. And yet, with all our comfort, we waste days scrolling, complaining, chasing things that don’t matter.

The people of Haiti didn’t wake up expecting their world to collapse. Neither do we. But one day, it will be our last day too. We just won’t know it when we roll out of bed that morning.

Living Like It Matters

So what do we do with that truth? We stop assuming we have endless tomorrows. We stop treating time like it’s cheap. We spend our days on what matters most: loving people, pursuing purpose, leaving a positive mark.

If tragedy teaches us anything, it’s this: life is fragile. Every day we wake up in peace, it’s a gift. Let’s not waste it. Let’s live as if today could be our last—because one day, it will be.