It will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your thinking.
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 mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed
it with descriptive words. Days, weeks and months passed.
One morning, the 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. *
**
'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.'*
It's good to be important,
but it's very important to be good.
