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THE WINDOW
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 rooms 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, family's, homes, jobs, their involvement in the military service, and where they had spent vacations.
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window would 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 these one hour periods, where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside, 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.
Days and weeks 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 by the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after she was sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. He strained to slowly turn and look out the window beside the bed. Only to find it faced a blank, brick wall.
He asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate to describe such wonderful things outside the 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.
So if you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy. And remember. "Today is a gift, that is why it is called the present"......
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 rooms 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, family's, homes, jobs, their involvement in the military service, and where they had spent vacations.
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window would 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 these one hour periods, where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside, 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.
Days and weeks 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 by the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after she was sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. He strained to slowly turn and look out the window beside the bed. Only to find it faced a blank, brick wall.
He asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate to describe such wonderful things outside the 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.
So if you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy. And remember. "Today is a gift, that is why it is called the present"......
