Sometimes the biggest wake-up calls don’t come from motivational books or TED Talks, but from the most ordinary people we meet on an ordinary night. That’s exactly what happened to a techie who, after a long and draining workday, hopped into an auto late at night—expecting nothing more than a quiet ride home. What followed was a conversation with an older auto-driver that shifted his perspective in ways he never imagined.
It was past 11 pm when he booked the auto, drained from deadlines and office chaos. The streets were half-empty, and so was his energy. Normally, he would have drowned out the world with earphones, but that night he didn’t. Instead, he struck up a conversation with the driver—a thin, weary man in his late 50s whose tired eyes still carried a quiet determination.
At first, it was just casual talk about the weather and traffic. But when the techie asked if he always drove this late, the man’s laugh revealed more than words could. Not the laugh of amusement, but of helplessness. He explained that he had two daughters—one preparing for coaching, the other in school—and most of his daily earnings vanished into gas and rent. The only way to keep their education going was to work 14–16 hours every day.
Auto driver's one impactful sentence
The techie sat silent, realizing how his complaints about deadlines and app glitches felt trivial next to this man’s daily grind. And then came a line that etched itself in his memory: “Gareeb aadmi sapne nahi dekhta apne liye, sirf apne bachon ke liye. Mere liye toh bas itna hai ki mujhe kal bhi chalane ki taaqat mile. (A poor man does not dream for himself. I just wish I have enough strength to drive auto tomorrow again).
That one sentence hit harder than any boardroom feedback. Here was a man whose only dream was to ensure his daughters didn’t end up in the same struggle. His own life’s hopes were replaced with strength borrowed from sheer necessity. When the ride ended, the techie offered extra money. The driver refused at first, but finally accepted with folded hands, blessing him with the words, “Aapko bhi khuda taaqat de.”
A life lesson learned
Back home, the techie couldn’t shake off the encounter. He realized how often we complain about delayed food deliveries, long commutes, or tough bosses, while thousands around us push their bodies past exhaustion just to secure a better future for their kids. That auto ride was more than just a trip home—it was a reminder of privilege, of perspective, and of dreams. Because maybe the real privilege isn’t the salary, the job title, or even the comfort. It’s the simple freedom to dream for yourself.
It was past 11 pm when he booked the auto, drained from deadlines and office chaos. The streets were half-empty, and so was his energy. Normally, he would have drowned out the world with earphones, but that night he didn’t. Instead, he struck up a conversation with the driver—a thin, weary man in his late 50s whose tired eyes still carried a quiet determination.
At first, it was just casual talk about the weather and traffic. But when the techie asked if he always drove this late, the man’s laugh revealed more than words could. Not the laugh of amusement, but of helplessness. He explained that he had two daughters—one preparing for coaching, the other in school—and most of his daily earnings vanished into gas and rent. The only way to keep their education going was to work 14–16 hours every day.
Auto driver's one impactful sentence
The techie sat silent, realizing how his complaints about deadlines and app glitches felt trivial next to this man’s daily grind. And then came a line that etched itself in his memory: “Gareeb aadmi sapne nahi dekhta apne liye, sirf apne bachon ke liye. Mere liye toh bas itna hai ki mujhe kal bhi chalane ki taaqat mile. (A poor man does not dream for himself. I just wish I have enough strength to drive auto tomorrow again).
That one sentence hit harder than any boardroom feedback. Here was a man whose only dream was to ensure his daughters didn’t end up in the same struggle. His own life’s hopes were replaced with strength borrowed from sheer necessity. When the ride ended, the techie offered extra money. The driver refused at first, but finally accepted with folded hands, blessing him with the words, “Aapko bhi khuda taaqat de.”
A life lesson learned
Back home, the techie couldn’t shake off the encounter. He realized how often we complain about delayed food deliveries, long commutes, or tough bosses, while thousands around us push their bodies past exhaustion just to secure a better future for their kids. That auto ride was more than just a trip home—it was a reminder of privilege, of perspective, and of dreams. Because maybe the real privilege isn’t the salary, the job title, or even the comfort. It’s the simple freedom to dream for yourself.
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