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 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.
'Today is a gift
that is why it is called The Present.’
