Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each
afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was
next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend
all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and
families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military
service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could
sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the
things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods
where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity
and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans
played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young
lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine
view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details,
the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and
imagine this picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing
by. Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see it in his
minds eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive
words.
Days, weeks and months passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to
bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by
the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened
and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it
seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next
to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after
making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first
look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out
the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the
nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had
described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even
see the wall. She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'
Epilogue: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy,
despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but
happiness when shared, is doubled.
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that
money can't buy.
'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.'
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each
afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was
next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend
all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and
families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military
service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could
sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the
things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods
where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity
and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans
played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young
lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine
view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details,
the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and
imagine this picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing
by. Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see it in his
minds eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive
words.
Days, weeks and months passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to
bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by
the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened
and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it
seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next
to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after
making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first
look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out
the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the
nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had
described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even
see the wall. She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'
Epilogue: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy,
despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but
happiness when shared, is doubled.
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that
money can't buy.
'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.'
