Emotions on Edge

There is a family in the Chattanooga area that has experience tremendous loss.
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_76339.asp
Through their loss I understand the meaning of being thankful to God for my abundant blessings. I have difficulty comprehending other people's loss and tragedy. It seems as though when things happen out of my line of sight I fail to truly acknowledge the depth of the situation. The family mentioned in this article is suffering unimaginably. I pray that God gives them strength and peace in their suffering. When reading about them I can't help but recognize how fortunate I am. My family may be a bit crazy but they are here with me and are healthy for the most part. But I have to question, what makes me so different from this family and others who are suffering as a result of various issues, hurricanes and natural disasters? The good times are now. When will the suffering come? Or will I be fortunate enough to never experience it? It must surely be a fine line that we all walk. The life we live is fragile. Lives can be fractured or lost in a slight second. Although it's obvious that a person can't let fear of loss keep them from living. It just seems overwhelming to contemplate life and it's fragility.
What will I have left behind when I'm gone? What will the memory of me be? I know exactly what I want it to be. I suppose the answer now is to live and work to make that image a reality while I'm able. I want to be remembered as godly, loving, trustworthy, sensible, reliable, and intelligent. May God lead and guide me to be as He wants me to be.