"To be alive is all that counts."  ?

Not that we are aware of it all the time. It's only so clear when you lose someone dear. And in wars people lose their dear...people needlessly die...than when war is over everything material will be built again but those dead will not come back...ever...and we feel loss...our lives are not to be the same ever again because piece of us is missing. Even without war if you lose dear relative or friend (especially young one) you'll know what I am talking about...
Such a loss changes totally your perception in life...That's why after catastrophe we tend to be more human, generous and consider others.

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind...Albert Einstein