A fleeting moment can change your life.

Christopher Reeves had everything going for him - fame, fortune and best of all a loving wife and son. Enjoying his favorite sport, he fell off his horse. In a split second, his whole life changed! He is not alone.

In a moment, all dreams can be quashed.

A young man, full of promise gets into an industrial accident. It left him physically disabled. With a young family and the first baby on the way, how does he feel?

There are those who take a severe stroke which leave them with physical disability and rob them of their mobility. They suffer the loss of their independence. Some endure the loss of speech for the rest of their lives. There goes most of their dreams. Life will never be the same.

Some suffer severe financial loss and see everything they worked for taken away from them and there is nothing they can do.

Think of the victims of the tsunami and Katrina. Many are making an effort to rebuild their lives - but will it ever be the same?

On the bright side of a winning moment - a big-time win from the lottery or gaming table spells a major change in one's life. These winners go through a major change in their lives.

There is an upside. There are some lucky ones who find strength in their illness and disabilities, major financial setbacks, calamities and crimes of violence. Amid the dark hours and pain, they work their way to find a new meaning in their lives. With courage, perseverance and a strong spirit, they win their battles. They become pillars in their communities.

Christopher Reeves spent the rest of his years as a quadraplegic to champion the cause of spinal cord injury. His disability never stopped him.

An illness, an accident, natural calamities, financial loss, crime, violence and loss of a loved one, a winfall, an unexpected career change or opportunity are realities of our world.

Many of us think it will not happen to us, but it can. Live for today. No one knows what tomorrow brings.