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.
‘Today is a gift, that
is why it is called The Present.’
The origin of this
letter is unknown.
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