I might be single tomorrow. I’m not planning on it. I hope it doesn’t happen. But it could.

If there is any guarantee in life it is that we do not know what might happen tomorrow. All of us are one phone call away from life being flipped upside down:

• the parent of the honors student is one call away from being a parent of a special needs child
• the successful business person is one situation away from being bankrupt
• the perfect house is one storm away from being a pasture

Life can change in an instant. And never does someone say, “I saw that coming.” (See: One Thing You Have)

So many times I’ve sat with families or individuals in emergency rooms, funeral homes, court rooms, and their living rooms watching them try to come to grips with a dramatic change in life.

What I’ve seen happen to others could easily happen to me.

My marriage could end tomorrow. With one tragedy, my wife or I could be left to live this life without the other.

This fact should result in one response: radical gratitude.

Because we are not promised tomorrow, we should deeply appreciate today. (See: Life is Best Lived in Gratitude)

Today is not perfect. There are many things we are working to improve. We still have goals to accomplish, dreams to chase, and weaknesses to improve.

But today is good.

And today we have each other. We have a life we love. We recognize this day as a gift and we do not take it for granted.

It’s a dangerous trap to believe we have forever. We don’t.  No one does.

When we fail to see how fleeting this season of life is, whatever season someone is in, we miss the joy and goodness of the moment. It’s so easy to long for yesterday or hope for tomorrow that we lose sight of the unique blessedness of today.

It’s true in every area of life, but it is especially true in marriage. (See: The Easiest Way to Rejuvenate Your Marriage)

What if this was your last day to be married? What if tomorrow you or your spouse were gone? How would that change today?

• Is there a grudge that would be released?
• Is there a love that would be rekindled?
• Is there an unsaid word which would finally be said?
• Would you hold each other a little longer?
• Would you make sure not to leave the house without a goodbye kiss?
• Would you call or text in the middle of the day just to check in?
• Would you prioritize each other higher on the list? (See: No Wonder You Don’t Love Each Other)
• Would you make sure nothing stands in your way of communicating your love?

We can’t live every day like it’s our last. It sounds appealing, but it’s not realistic. We can, however, regularly remind ourselves that we are not promised tomorrow. We can pause during the hurry and stress of the average day and remember that life is fleeting, each moment is a gift, and tomorrow we may not have those who are most dear to us today. (See: Do You Know What Today Is?)

Fourteen years ago tonight, I stood in my in-laws front yard in front of a hundred friends and wiped a tear from my eye as Jenny walked her way down the aisle toward me. Ten minutes later we were married and fourteen years later I love her more than I was capable of loving her then.

Best case scenario, we can hope for another fifty or sixty years together. But a day will come in which we will not be married any longer.

We can deny the fact and assume life will go on forever. In so doing, we will take much for granted and miss many opportunities.

We can live in despair of the fact and be depressed because nothing in life is guaranteed. (See: You Always Have an Excuse)

But the only wise thing to do is to recognize the truth and to respond to this day with a radical gratitude.

That’s what I feel in this moment—for her, for this life, for what God has given me.

What do you feel about this day?

Send this to someone you love and let them know how grateful you are for them and the opportunity you have to be in their lives today.

For more, see:

One Thing Great Couples Do That Others Don’t

5 Books Every Couple Should Read

Top 5 Sex Posts of 2013