An EXTRAORDINARY TAXI DRIVE

An optimistic person always looking for the best in any adverse situation and expecting good things to happen. I am narrating an experience of my extraordinary taxi drive.

“NAMASTE Bhaiya” take me to the temple please, was what I told to the taxi driver. He answered, “Asalam Alaikum!”, with a smile. This was around 7:30 in the morning, still feeling sleepy and kind of hungry. While I was sitting at the back, I kept myself busy with my bhajans, some were sweet, some were ear twisting but all of them seem to be melodious and I can’t help but to mumble, “This is a blessed country”.  Still taking pleasure from bhajans of different God and Goddess, I heard an upbeat ear catching music coming from the stereo taxi.  I have no idea what language it was sung, but still, it caught my attention from the outside, made me swing my head lightly and tap my legs with my fingers as the music goes on. There was something on it that made me feel light, something familiar that somehow I knew I have listened to this in one moment of my life. This is a nice music, I told myself and so I said to the taxi driver, “Brother, what a nice music you have on the air right now.” He replied, “Yes, this is a very nice music Sister, you know, this is a song to ALLAH”. When I heard his reply, I said, “Ah that is why it gave me a familiar feeling when I heard it”.  I realized at this moment, that when it is about ALLAH, about his love for us, even if it is in different language, different melody and in different culture, when he is near, everything about Him is proverbial. “Brother, tell me, what is the song all about.” Please explain to me and elaborate its meaning. He narrated that it was a song that is praising ALLAH for all the good things he created on this earth and we, humans are benefited from it. He said that ALLAH deserves nothing but our praises and gratefulness for His kindness to all of us. While the taxi driver was saying all these things, it gave me a new spiritual happiness , it made me realize that this guy, on with the steering wheel right now, woke up so early in the morning, most probably did not have any such breakfast or not even tea, most likely will have lunch so late, will encounter passengers that are rude, will have a painful back at the end of the day and will suffer from a back pain, can still think of how lucky he is because ALLAH is so kind. Wow! Although I was so hungry earlier, when I saw this guy’s faith, it made me feed my hunger It made me feel very much blessed. I was astonished on his dedicated devotion to God. While the music still goes on, I heard him sing along with the music, sometimes humming and tapping the steering wheel. He is indeed a happy guy. When we were almost near to Lord Krishna’s temple, my destination I asked him, “Brother, have you had your breakfast yet?” He answered with a smile, “Not yet sister, I don’t know if I will get the time of having breakfast. But I can eat late lunch.” “Oh.”, I was in a trance, “Here, take this small bag, it has some eating stuff like fruits and chocolates that’s supposed to be my breakfast, take it. I’d like you to have it, because I feel so full and satisfied when I was listening to your stories and songs.”  He replied, “Sister, life is short, and we have so less time to share how ALLAH is so good, Thank you for this bag.” I replied, “You are most welcome, my brother and I pray to Krishna for your super happy life that may keep this happy disposition you have now. Take care of yourself and continue to be a God man to everyone as you had been to me, Maasalam Brother!” I got off from the taxi blessed. I thanked God for this extraordinary taxi ride and told myself smiling, “What can be nicer than this taxi drive to temple to start my day?” :)