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.. Hospital window.
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 colour 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 colour 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 mind’s 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 besides 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.
Source: http://www.trulybuddha.com/if-you-take-just-1-miniute-to-read-this-it-will-change-the-way-you-think/
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