Learning to appreciate the gift of life

On June 12, the world was shaken by the heartbreaking news of the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI 171, traveling from Ahmedabad to London. The lives of the entire crew, all passengers on board, except one, and some people on the ground were lost in a moment. This disaster shook me, reminding me of life’s fragility and brevity. As we honour the departed souls, we reflect not just on the disaster, but also on the silent lessons left in its wake.

All the individuals on that flight carried with them dreams, hopes, and stories. In a world constantly in motion, they were part of the shared rhythm of human life, reaching out across distances in search of joy and deeper purpose to life. 

For those on the ground - young medical students gathered for lunch in their hospital hostel, and others simply going about their day nearby - the tragedy is beyond words. They had chosen a life of healing and service, and their untimely passing adds another layer of sadness to this event. 

The brevity of life is not merely a truth. It is a reality that humbles us. We often go through life under the illusion of permanence, caught in routine, going through the motions. But events like this urge us to live more fully, not in fear, but in deep appreciation for the gift of each day.

To the crew members who dedicated themselves to the safety of others, we owe a deep debt of gratitude. To the passengers and those lost on ground, diverse in age, background, and purpose, we offer our reverence and sympathies. Their journey and lives were meant to continue, and in our memory, it always will. Through stories shared, names spoken aloud, and silent prayers whispered across continents, they live on.

Let us not allow this tragedy to pass without change. Let it be a reminder for us to be kind with one another, to forgive quickly, to value relationships, and to see life not as something owed to us, but as something infinitely precious. In remembering those lost on Flight AI 171 and on the ground, we honour their lives not only with sorrow, but with renewed commitment to living ours with meaning, kindness, mindfulness and love.