One moment, everything is normal. Next, everything changes.
By Mamta Jani, Founder, Ontrack Education
The tragic Ahmedabad air crash has left us shaken. Young students, full of dreams, sat down for a simple lunch in their hostel mess, never knowing it would be their last moment. They were just living, like all of us. Going through the motions. Trusting there would be a tomorrow. You go on a vacation with your loved ones, and terrorists open fire. You show up to celebrate a trophy win, and it ends in a deadly stampede. You board a flight for work or leisure, and it never lands. You head to the dining hall, and a plane crashes into the building. None of them ever imagined it would end like that.
Because that’s the hardest truth about life: Death doesn’t knock. It just enters—quietly, suddenly, without warning. What happened in Ahmedabad is deeply upsetting. It’s not just about 240 lives lost. It’s about hundreds of families devastated. Parents who will never hug their children again. Friends who lost a piece of their world. Dreams cut short. Futures stolen. A tragedy that words can barely contain.
So if you’re breathing right now, pause. Not out of fear, but from a place of gratitude. This ordinary moment, however simple it may seem, is a gift. Hold your dear ones a little closer—today, not tomorrow. Say what’s in your heart before the moment slips away. Step outside and look up at the sky, even if it’s grey—it’s still there, just like love.
Share a smile. Be gentle. Be kind, even when it’s hard. Let go of the grudges that weigh you down. If forgiveness is possible, offer it freely. Live like it matters. Speak like you may not get another chance. Because every day we wake up is a day we weren’t promised. And that’s what makes it so incredibly precious.
Our thoughts and heartfelt prayers go out to all the families affected by the Ahmedabad tragedy. May we honour their memory by choosing to live each day fully, gratefully, and with compassion.
