The Man Who Kept His Old Car

In the late afternoon at a small roadside tea stall, the fading golden sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the wooden table. A well-dressed man sat talking with a teacher. His old car was parked by the roadside, its paintwork faded and scratched, the wheels worn down.

The teacher glanced at the car and asked with a tone of curiosity, "That car looks rather worn out. Why not get a new one? It would be better and more convenient."

The man smiled, his hand unconsciously brushing the armrest of his chair as if cherishing a memory. He replied softly, filled with nostalgia, "I am fond of this car. When I was poor and struggling, it was the only means I had to get to work and travel everywhere to support my family. Thanks to it, I have what I have today. Seeing it still running reminds me of those days. I am too fond of it to trade it in."

The teacher nodded quietly, a silent respect rising within him. He suddenly recalled how often he himself had replaced his own cars, simply because the old one was "no longer usable." But the man before him, though now well-off, still kept this "old friend" not merely for practical reasons, but out of a heart that remembered and honored what had once uplifted him.

This is not merely the story of keeping a car. It is a quiet reminder of a profound moral virtue: gratitude is not only owed to people, but also to the things that have been part of our journey, that have left their warmth in our lives. If a person can feel such tenderness toward an old car, imagine how deeply they must honor other people, their homeland, and all the good that has come and gone.

The Meaning of the Story

This small tale about the man who kept his old car is a vivid example of the virtue of gratitude that Venerable Thích Chân Quang wishes to emphasize. Gratitude does not stop at remembering parents and loved ones; it extends even to the "objects" that have passed through our lives, that once helped and accompanied us. The affection for an old car reflects a heart that knows its roots, that lives with feeling and integrity. It is part of the foundation of a moral life: one who is grateful for small things becomes even more grateful for greater ones, and from this, learns to live responsibly, never turning their back on the past that shaped them.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thích Chân Quang