“Leave people better than you found them,” this quote by Martin J. Ashton seems to be the motto of some people’s life. These people radiate such positivity that spending even a few moments with them can leave you inspired and full of hope. You might meet them by accident in the most unexpected of places and for the briefest of times, nonetheless, they create a lasting impression on you. Those few moments tend to brighten up your entire day. One such story is of this Uber driver who has chosen an unconventional way of life and is an inspiration to millions of us.
Jastej Singh has a very interesting story to share. He has beautifully penned down his encounter with an Uber driver in his early sixties whose choice of living life is going to make you admire him. It was 7.30 in the morning, the driver was extremely polite and well-dressed. Mid-journey, Jastej seemed to be stuck with a case study and he jokingly told the driver, “Kabhi apney bachon ko MBA mat karana.” As Jastej was sitting at the front-seat the driver knew he was stuck in a case study, so he replied saying, “Why are you so worried about the case study, bas SWOT analysis karlo and make sure that your solution is sustainable for at least 5 years.” Just like us, Jastej was surprised and this got them talking.
As it turns out, the driver was a retired General Manager of one of the biggest PSUs in India. Both his wife and his son are in high-paying jobs and his pension is enough to allow him a comfortable life in Delhi. However, he did not want to while away his time doing nothing and thus he began plying taxis. The best part is he donates all the money he earns through driving to a local Ingraham in Ghaziabad where the students are bright but cannot afford education. Apart from his deeds, his knowledge about the world seems profound and he is quite satisfied doing what he does. He talked about how the education system can be revamped and other similar topics.
If we haven’t emphasized enough about his manners, he even invited Jastej to his house for a cup of tea to discuss more such things and to call him up if he ever needed any help. Unsurprisingly, it brightened up Jastej’s day as it brightened ours just by reading his account of the incident. Someone who is so positive about life and dedicated to giving back to society even at this age is rare to find. He is going on strong without letting old age become an excuse.
There is so much we can take away from this story. No occupation is big or small, we can learn something from everyone, even small things can cause a huge shift in our perspective towards life and being rich or old is no excuse for whiling away your time.
More power to the man! You can read Jastej’s full account of the encounter here.