23.11.11

A cab ride

This is a story about an office executive who has an important meeting one day, one that will change the life of his career. However, that morning, he woke up late and therefore decided to call a cab to the office. Once on the cab, he shouted “Take me to the office using the shortest way! Step on it please!”

The executive then started tiding up himself for that meeting before he look out the window and realised the taxi driver is actually taking a further way, not by the highway he knew. He thought to himself, this cab driver must be trying to extort more fees out of me by taking a longer path!

Without another word, he started scolding the taxi driver continuously. Cursing and shouting how irresponsible is the driver even knowing he is in hurry and looking down on them and their profession. He scolded and scolded without giving the taxi driver any chance to speak. Just as he was catching his breath, the taxi driver pointed at the right, towards the shorter highway route they supposedly, should have taken. When the executive looked out, the traffic there was congested and vehicles were not even moving on the street. In that instance, the executive realized his mistake and felt so embarrassed.

In a jiffy, they have reached their destination with time to spare. The executive handed him a 50 dollars note and told the driver to keep the change. He also apologized continuously for his rude behaviour before this. The driver then waved and drove away with a smile. The executive felt even more guilty and ashamed of his past actions.

This story brings light to many aspects of our lives. Often we devise conclusion based on incorrect biasness even though we have not get our fact right. But one moral of the story that I found more appropriate on me is the fact that in life, the shortest path may not always be the quickest or best path to travel.

Recently, I am faced with many setbacks. I must admit that at times, I felt defeated, lost and useless. Especially in the job-hunting front, i wish i could just reply this to all the rejections i get.



My life is not going how it was planned out to be, and being me, I do plan my every move in my life. This struggle is frustrating in the fact that there is not much I can do to change it. It feels as if I am wasting my time, stuck in both career and life, I am wasting them away and the future feels bleaker every second I wait. Maybe I am one that needs constant challenging work to do and waiting is a far more daunting task than an actually difficult job.

But as I look forward, I know that I have taken the longer path. A path covered with difficulties and trouble ahead. But after reading this story, I can only say that I am both calmed relieved. Every path is difficult and in this life, we may never know how it will turn out in the ‘other’ path, for we can only travel down one path once. And even if I am taking a longer path, it does not mean it takes longer or is worse. It may be a path quicker, smoother and better.

What can be certain is that whichever path that lies ahead of me, I will take it, and take it to where I want to go! Besides, worrying about the future never gets you anywhere.

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