The Taxi Driver Who Taught Me the Power of Choice

A few months ago, I arrived in Hyderabad, India on a late flight. After getting off the plane, I found that there were almost no taxis. It took me a while to figure out that the local drivers were on strike. I waited patiently for a while, still nothing. Half an hour passed, and I didn’t even see a taxi. Just as I was about to call my friend, a hoarse voice came from behind: “Sir, where are you going?” A smiling man in his 40s walked towards me. “It’s all on strike now. If you can’t get a taxi, my car is not far away.” He enthusiastically handed over a business card with his English name Rama, contact information and the taxi company he worked on, etc. detail.
　　After a few minutes of simple communication, I was amazed by his conversation style and fluent English. I’ve heard a lot of stories about drivers taking advantage of the remoteness of the airport to rip off customers; I’ve also heard old stories about some drivers who are good at pleasing passengers with flattering words, so as to make a lot of money. So, I had two choices: trust him or wait for a friend to pick me up. In the end, I chose the first option.
　　The next 45 minutes of conversation proved to be a lot of fun.
　　”You said you have a master’s degree in English?” I wondered how well he spoke English.
　　”Yes, the degree I completed while I was in prison.” I didn’t know how to answer the question for a while, and after a moment of silence, Rama continued: “I was accused of murder and imprisoned for 5 years. I was only 20 years old at the time and had Strong interest in learning.”
　　”So, what happened next?” I asked.
　　”I stayed positive and finished my studies in prison,” said Rama with a smile. ”
　　Then why are you killing people?” I continued.
　　”I didn’t, I was innocent,” he said quietly.
　　”What?” I was completely stunned.
　　After another period of silence, Rama said: “When I was very young, my mother told me that every morning when I wake up, I have a choice to decide whether what happened that day is good or bad. When bad things happen, you can Choose to be a victim, or learn from it, I choose the latter.”
　　”Yes, the truth is true, but it is not easy to do. For example, if you were arrested innocently, how can people bear it?” I felt a little bit grievance for him.
　　Rama said: “In life, many things will hit you on the head. In turn, you can also fight back powerfully and decide the direction of the development of things. Every situation you encounter is a multiple-choice question, and you can choose how you want to be. Response, how not to let others affect your emotions. In any case, your choice determines the way of life in the future. Now that I am out of prison, I still live a good life and have a happy family.” When I was about to arrive at the destination
　　, Mr. Rama left the last sentence: “When the choice we make is to follow our inner thoughts, not to please others, it will be easier to make choices.” Now, thinking about the
　　past time, I suddenly realized that The final outcome of the drama of life is actually the sum of the choices made one by one.