A great note for all to read it
will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your
thinking
(Amaresh Shanker
Rotary Scholar ( USA))
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 an 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 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"
"If you want to feel rich, just count all the
things you have that money can't buy"
"Today is a gift, that's why it is called the
present."
