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The Hospital Room

(the origin of this story is unknown)

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. And 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 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 of the
rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, 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 world outside.

Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. 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 of the
things you have that money can't buy.

--The origin of this letter is unknown.