Anonymous, 24.01.05
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 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 couples 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 detail,
the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and
imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade
passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he
could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window
portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks 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's why it is called the present."