I was recently reading about a passenger’s hassling experience at the airport. She was stuck in traffic and was able to reach the airport just minutes before the flight was about to depart. Eventually, she was denied boarding as check-in was closed, the boarding was already complete, and there was no way they could let her in.
She said that her repeated requests were denied by airline officials and she was forced to return. With no other option, she decided to get a taxi back home and was already looking at the next possible flights. If you have ever missed a flight, you know how frustrating the moment is. Right from losing the cost of the ticket, rebooking another expensive ticket, the fact that any plans you might potentially have at your destination getting spoiled—all of this makes the next few hours a living hell.
The passenger in question is Bhumi Chauhan, and the flight she was denied to board was the tragic AI171 flight from Ahmedabad to London. Bhumi, as you would expect, was in a state of shock when she heard the news from her relatives on her way back home. But the frustration she experienced just minutes ago turned into thankfulness and gratitude.
Her experience within this short space of time is called the “Burnt Toast Theory.”
The theory posits that when something seemingly negative happens, like burning your toast, it might be a sign that you've been spared from a more detrimental situation or that it's leading you towards a better one.
For example, the time spent making new toast could cause you to miss a car accident or arrive somewhere just in time to meet a new and important person.
I’m not really sure where the theory originated, but there is a school of thought that it began during the 9/11 terror attacks, when some people said they were supposed to work in the Twin Towers on the day of the attack but were late due to a minor inconvenience like burning toast or heavy traffic.
While the theory is not a formal psychological diagnosis, it aligns with the benefits of reframing negative situations and practicing positive thinking.
The problem is not everyone would know the detrimental situation that they might have escaped or the positive experience that their life might eventually take them.
When I was in my final year of engineering, I was one of the first people to get placed in a job in our batch. I was recruited by a French tire manufacturing company, and their graduate programme selected just 50 students from across India. The programme included training for 1.5 years in Thailand and France before working in Chennai. I was elated, and all I did for the rest of the year was just make sure I didn’t fail my exams and enjoyed life to the fullest.
But on the last day of my college, the company came back with a single email saying we would not be recruiting any students this year and all offers were void. I was devastated. Getting out of college without a job was not in my plan. Finding a job was even harder. I was more annoyed by the fact that I would not be able to go to France ever in my life. I was without a job for 10 months after College.
Fast forward to today, I have lived in France for 3 years, worked across 4 different countries, and probably developed a perspective towards life and work which I don’t think I would have achieved had I got that initial job.
Yes, it is difficult to process at the moment. But understanding this will help you reframe any negative experience into positive thoughts. You can call it a coping mechanism, but it sure is a good one that has helped in my mental well-being.
The burnt toast theory is a reminder that not all setbacks are truly negative and that even minor inconveniences can be part of a larger, potentially beneficial, plan.
