A Jew, a Muslim, and an Uber.
I was taught something beautiful by my Pakistani Uber driver last night while getting lost driving in Toronto. I’ll explain.
I’m in Toronto doing a few speeches and film festival events. I’m all caught up in my own “rushing around” world. I hop in my Uber last night after an event, expecting it to be nothing more than just that, an Uber ride. The driver, her name is Maheen, we start chatting, she tells me she has two kids. She is from Pakistan. She recently bought a small home way outside of the city with her husband. She is so proud and grateful that they worked to afford a permanent roof over their head. She drives Uber 5 hours a day and is in school studying to be an architect the rest of the time. Her husband also works two jobs. I tell her a bit about my work and what I’m doing here. Then, some roads are closed, some streets are blocked and we get a bit lost, which can sometimes be a big annoyance. But here, getting lost was a gift to finding something wonderful. It allowed Maheen and I to keep talking. We pulled off the highway and there were a few homeless men and women at the side of the road. Maheen rolled down her window, grabbed a bunch of change (remember, I’m in Toronto so “change” is Looneys and Twoneys, so 1 dollar and 2 dollars). She grabs a big handful, at least 30 or 40 dollars, definitely more money than what our ride is costing. Instantaneously, I feel Jewish guilt and reach into my pocket and grab all the change I have, far less than her, but still something. I hand it to her and she gives it to the people at the side of the road. They are thrilled.
And as we try and figure out how to get back on the correct road, I ask her, since she drives 5 hours a day, how often she gives to people on the side of the road. This is when things became eye opening to me. She tells me how she is an immigrant from Pakistan. She is Muslim. Canada gave her and her family a chance. And in her faith, 10% of all money earned for those fortunate enough to have a roof over their head and she considers herself to be very fortunate, they teach that you are to give at least 10% to those who are less fortunate. She also said she doesn’t understand Louis Vuitton bags and how they are so expensive. I agreed. I found this whole experience to be moving and beautiful.
To me this is what the essence and core of cultures and religions is all about, spreading positivity and sharing with others, not judging based on skin color, beliefs or where someone is from but doing what is good as a human. And I am thankful and grateful to Maheen for stopping me in my moment of haste and helping remind me, even in something as simple as an Uber ride, what being grateful and being a good human is all about, how divides can be stopped and people can come together, and how goodness can be spread and generosity can be so simple, so selfless, and so beautiful. This is a true moment of someone restoring a tomorrow. Maheen gave me a lot more than I gave her. So the best I could do was give her my info, tell her I think she will relate to the film I made and I told her I’d be honored to have her and her family as my honorary guests when we open in Toronto next month. So Thank you Maheen for this gift of an Uber ride. As we embark on our special engagement of my film Restoring Tomorrow in Toronto, before the theatrical run continues around North America and the globe, I’ll be sharing Maheen’s story because I think we all can learn a thing or two from her. It turns out she was not my “Uber Driver”. Far from it. She was a teacher and is a woman full of hope for a bright future and a tomorrow that we most definitely can and will restore. Thank you Maheen and thank you all for your time. — Aaron Wolf
