Change Your Thinking
It will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your thinking..
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 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 paradepassing 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, but please pass it on.
Share it with friends and tag them so the cycle continues ...
Do not keep this letter ...
You could change a life too...
