My older sister was murdered in 2000:

http://www.leoweekly.com/2008/11/deadly-delay/

She was a truly amazing young woman, with limitless potential- especially as a writer. The years following her death were hard for me and my family, but seeing how her life could be so easily snuffed out, and seeing how the local government fought tooth and nail from admitting any guilt on its part, compelled me to accept the inherent absurdity that is life.

Once I stopped taking the world seriously, stopped taking myself seriously, I suddenly found all metaphorical walls removed.

I would not recommend tragedy for everyone though, obviously. But perspective really is everything. We all really are just specks of dust floating in the aether.