seadove
01-29-2003, 03:43 AM
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 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 staff 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 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.
People will forget what you said...
People will forget what you did...
But people will never forget how you made them feel.
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 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 staff 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 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.
People will forget what you said...
People will forget what you did...
But people will never forget how you made them feel.