The Girl Waiting by the Road

A story about a girl in a disaster-stricken area who always waits for a better man to come from behind, only to finally accept the last one who arrives. The lesson is about human psychology that constantly looks toward the future while forgetting the present moment.

The sun stood directly overhead, its heat pouring down like fire upon the red dirt road. Groups of people moved in long lines; the elderly hobbled forward leaning on canes, while children cried out loudly from hunger and thirst. Behind them lay an entire countryside submerged in water, with only blackened roof beams remaining above the surface. An earthquake followed by a tsunami had swept everything away, forcing the whole village to evacuate.

Amidst the rushing crowd, a young girl sat curled up beside an ancient tree on the roadside. She was still young, with delicate features but a pale face, her eyes vacant as she watched each passing figure. She clutched her stomach tightly, waves of cramping pain causing sweat to soak through her hair. She could not continue walking any further. With no relatives left and friends lost since the disaster, she could only sit there, waiting for some miracle amidst this desolation.

From afar, a farmer approached, carrying a hoe on his shoulder, his clothes stained with mud. He stopped, looked at the girl once, and spoke in a rough voice:

“Marry me! I will carry you away from this place.”

The girl lifted her head, her lifeless eyes gazing past him into the distance, and asked softly:

“Do you see anyone else behind you?”

The farmer turned to look and replied:

“Yes, there are many people still coming from behind.”

The girl shook her head, her tone flat:

“Then no, I will not marry you.”

The farmer was stunned, but seeing that the girl paid him no further attention, he trudged away silently, merging back into the stream of evacuees.

A little later, a well-dressed man, appearing to be a merchant, hurried past carrying a small suitcase. Seeing the girl sitting there, he stopped, his eyes lighting up:

“Miss, come with me! I will protect you and provide for you for the rest of your life. You won’t have to suffer here anymore.”

The girl looked up again, regarding him with indifference, and asked the same old question:

“Do you see anyone else behind you?”

The merchant turned his head and saw shadows of people still lingering in the distance. He answered:

“Yes, there are many.”

The girl said calmly:

“Then go on your way.”

The merchant shook his head in frustration and muttered as he continued walking. The girl remained seated, enduring the harsh sun and the increasingly severe abdominal pain. In her mind, she thought only of a man who would be better, wealthier, and kinder than those she had just met. She did not want to accept an ordinary person when she knew that more might still arrive from behind.

Time passed, and the flow of people thinned out. The sun began to set in the west, dyeing the sky a reddish-orange hue. The girl still sat there, her hope as fragile as a thread. Suddenly, a clumsy figure approached. It was a young man, but he had a limp, walking slowly and unevenly. He stopped before her, breathing heavily, his voice trembling:

“Miss… will you marry me? Although I am not quick, I will try my best to take you away and support you… no matter how difficult it becomes, I will never abandon you.”

The girl looked at him, and as if by reflex, asked again:

“Do you see anyone else behind you?”

The young man turned to look at the now-empty road, then turned back with sad eyes:

“There is no one left. I am lame and walk slowly, so I am the last person.”

The girl froze. For the first time, she looked directly at the person before her. A disabled young man, yet his gaze was sincere and warm. She suddenly realized she had waited too long, and perhaps the best things had already passed by long ago. She nodded, choking back tears:

“Alright, I will go with you.”

The young man rejoiced, bending down to help the girl stand. He slowly supported her step by step, joining the twilight shadows on the evacuation road. Leaning against his shoulder, the girl felt peace for the first time, even though many hardships lay ahead.

From then on, they relied on each other to live. Though disabled, the young man was hardworking and diligent, laboring daily to support her. The girl also cared for him wholeheartedly. Their life was poor but filled with laughter. She never regretted her decision, for she had learned that happiness is not something distant lying behind us, but what we hold right before our eyes.

The Meaning of the Story

This story reflects the common psychology of human beings: we are often dissatisfied with the present, constantly looking toward the future with vague hopes, thereby missing the beautiful opportunities existing right now. Often, what we wait for behind us is merely an illusion, while true happiness lies in the simple, familiar things we currently possess. Do not let distant promises blind you; learn to cherish and grasp the good things in the present moment.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang