In life, just like the things happening to us right now, there are things that have already happened — some we eagerly waited for, and others that happened all of a sudden, right? Among those sudden moments, some turn into experiences we never expected to face. Every one of us has such experiences.
Through those moments, whether good or bad, we end up feeling both joy and sorrow. If it’s a joyful experience, it remains in our memories as happiness; if it’s a painful one, it stays in our hearts as sadness. So, this story I’m about to share is something that recently happened to me — an unexpected moment that occurred in an instant — an experience that left me feeling regretful and deeply disturbed. I’d like to share it with you briefly. As usual in my daily routine, on a Saturday morning, I took my bicycle and left home to go to work — it had only been about ten minutes since I set off. Though it was early in the morning, the strong rays of the summer sun had already begun to shine, and, like every day, I rode along with the stream of vehicles moving swiftly down the familiar road. My goal was simple — to reach work on time and start the day’s tasks.
The first intersection I encountered, just ten minutes away from home, was a narrow one, yet it served as a major junction — where large vehicles that fuel the country’s economy and small cyclists like me, who also contribute in their own way, all crossed paths. As always, I followed the proper traffic rules and moved forward toward my lane, but suddenly, out of the corner of my right eye, I saw a small wagon-type car heading straight toward me, ignoring all the rules. I instantly stopped my bicycle, but within a blink of an eye, before I could fully comprehend what was happening, the elderly driver — probably around seventy years old — crashed into me and my bicycle. The accident happened so fast that neither of us could understand exactly what had occurred or how I and my bicycle ended up where we finally stopped. It felt like the universe was trying to show me that I truly had something called “luck” on my side — because despite the intensity of the accident, I had no serious internal injuries. Still, my right hand and right leg were wounded in several places, and my old bicycle had suffered considerable damage. Shaken by the accident and its shock, I sat down on the roadside, waiting for the pain to subside, reflecting in my mind what had just happened while observing what was going on around me at that moment. Despite being in pain and under mental stress, what hurt me more deeply was seeing how people passing by acted as though nothing had happened — as if they didn’t even see me suffering right in front of them. That moment filled me with a sadness beyond my physical pain — it made me wonder whether those who walked and drove past me were truly human. I’ve experienced accidents before, but never before had I witnessed such indifference in human behavior.
I truly came to understand that a traffic accident can turn an innocent person into a great source of wealth for a cunning rich man only during the two short weeks that followed my own accident. In those two weeks after the incident, every person I met and told my story to had something to say — but almost all of them spoke not about the pain or the shock I had gone through, but about what I should do to become that so-called “rich man.” Some, after just hearing about the accident once, began suggesting sly ways to pave a road for money to flow toward me. Others, with a mocking smile, said things like, “So, Anupama, you’re a rich man now, huh?” Altogether, these reactions made me realize how deeply such a mentality is rooted in our society — that when misfortune strikes, people immediately think about profit rather than empathy.
One day, during a lecture at school, a discussion came up about road accidents, and our lecturer mentioned a recent incident where a student, on his way to school on a bicycle, had been involved in an accident.
One day, as usual, a student was riding his bicycle to school along his regular route. Ahead of him, an elderly man without proper awareness of his surroundings suddenly began to cross the road. The student tried to give him enough space to pass safely, but since the man had no control over his steps, he came directly toward the bicycle, leaving the student helpless. The elderly man collided with the bicycle, fell to the ground, and sadly passed away soon after the incident. Although the student had not violated any traffic rules, the fate that befell him and his parents was truly heartbreaking — something beyond words to describe. The family members of the deceased man demanded compensation of 100 million yen (¥100,000,000) from the student, claiming responsibility for their father’s death. Eventually, the student’s parents managed to gather the money by using all their savings, borrowing from relatives, and even taking loans from various sources. However, after paying the demanded amount, both the student and his parents were left in complete financial and emotional ruin.Our lecturer shared this story to remind us that, as foreign students, if something like this were to happen to us, we would have no one to rely on but ourselves. Therefore, we must always be cautious for our own safety.
Among all the stories I’ve heard, this one deeply shook me with sorrow and disgust toward the unfairness of it all. Yet, in my own story, the fact that I was spared and remained unharmed — the “innocent who did not become the wealthy victim” — is something I truly consider a blessing.
Because of the mental distress and disappointment I felt following the accident — and the series of events that unfolded within the short span of about two weeks — I lost the desire to even claim the hospital and other expenses that I was entitled to receive through the insurance company. However, since I didn’t have any money with me on the day of the accident — not even ¥4,000 — it was actually a relief that the insurance company directly covered and settled the hospital fees and the cost of the medicine I received. Later on, the company also deposited the compensation for my travel expenses and the damages to my bicycle directly into my bank account.
Even though I initially thought of ending this story with the account of my experience, I decided to conclude it in this way — reflecting on how money has the power to change a person, to destroy a person…?
In a world where love, art, humanity, and countless other values are overshadowed by money, one might think that seeking humanity is foolish. Yet, the real question that arises in my mind is this: in life, must we truly be governed by money? My reflection comes from wondering how much this short chapter of life, which is priceless in itself, can be wasted or corrupted simply because of a creation called “money.”
I see money not as success itself, but as one of the tools or investments we use to sustain life. Ultimately, your choices determine the course of your life.
I view happiness as a fleeting yet profound feeling that arises from the choices we make and the way we think. However, the inner peace we build within ourselves — that rare gift that stands between joy and sorrow — is something I truly recognize as extraordinary.
“inner peace will calm any storms”
Thank You!