Doing the Right Thing

A religious sister writes in the Catholic Digest about her trip to the market and a taxi ride back to the convent. The taxi driver helped her with the packages and weakly asked her where she was going. He looked worn-out.

In the taxi he asked her the easiest way to get to her house. She was surprised by his question and  told him so, and he told her this was the second day of work, and began to give her his personal history like a reservoir that had burst, all came spilling out.

His wife had died a number of years ago. He had two sons, the older one died of a sickness, and the younger one was not married and living in Japan. He had borrowed a lot of money, despite it all his business failed, lost everything, and was in debt. Some of the debt was to persons that were well off but there were also those who had given him all their savings, and for these he was especially concerned.

Life had been hard on him. There were many times that he contemplated suicide but he couldn't do it because of those that lent him the money. He didn't want them to lose hope so he went to those that lent him money, and told them he would repay them, and began his work as a taxi driver.

When he thinks deeply about his situation he realizes that they are the ones that kept him alive.The sister could see in his  face the determination to make good on his promise. She  was  amazed at his words. Where did he get the strength to want to pay back his debt? Although he failed in his business he was not a failure in life. When life doesn't have too many downs it may not be difficult to keep smiling and keep going, but when the zingers are many the person's real and true self appears. These were the  thoughts running through her head. 

When he arrived at the convent he helped the sister with her packages, and before he got back in the taxi he turned to the sister and told her he also was a believer, but hadn't been to Mass in a long time. He wasn't able to overcome the shame he felt in not been able to repay the debt. He did say he would return to church soon. She thanked him, and told him he was always welcomed to come to her parish church. 

As the taxi moved out of the yard she sent a prayer along. She felt like she had just finished watching an emotional movie scene. She knows that God will  bless him for his desire to pay off the debt. 

She was greatly moved by the encounter. It  gave her another reason to appreciate the pleasure of living. There are many like him who overcome difficult odds to do the right thing, and show the resiliency that we are all called to manifest because of our trust in God.