Making Others Happy!!
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man wasallowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain the fluids from hislungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had tospend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. Theyspoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, theirinvolvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. Andevery afternoon when the man in the bed next to the window could sit up, hewould pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he couldsee outside the window.
The man in the other bed would live for those one-hour periods where hisworld would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of theoutside world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man hadsaid. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their modelboats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the rainbow.Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skylinecould be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all thisin exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close hiseyes and imagine the 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 hismind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptivewords. Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head: Why should he haveall the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything? Itdidn't seem fair. As the thought fermented, the man felt ashamed at first.But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy erodedinto resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and foundhimself unable to sleep. He should be by that window and that thought nowcontrolled his life.
Late one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the windowbegan to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other manwatched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped forthe button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved,never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running.
In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with thesound of breathing. Now, there was only silence-deathly silence.
The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths.When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddenedand called the hospital attendant to take it away-no words, no fuss.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the man asked if he could be moved next tothe window. The nurse was happy to make the switch and after making sure hewas comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himselfup on one elbow to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy ofseeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the windowbeside the bed ... ..........It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate whohad described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse respondedthat the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhapshe just wanted to encourage you."
***Epilogue . . .*
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our ownsituations. shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, isdoubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you havethat money can't buy.
The man in the other bed would live for those one-hour periods where hisworld would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of theoutside world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man hadsaid. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their modelboats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the rainbow.Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skylinecould be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all thisin exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close hiseyes and imagine the 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 hismind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptivewords. Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head: Why should he haveall the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything? Itdidn't seem fair. As the thought fermented, the man felt ashamed at first.But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy erodedinto resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and foundhimself unable to sleep. He should be by that window and that thought nowcontrolled his life.
Late one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the windowbegan to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other manwatched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped forthe button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved,never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running.
In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with thesound of breathing. Now, there was only silence-deathly silence.
The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths.When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddenedand called the hospital attendant to take it away-no words, no fuss.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the man asked if he could be moved next tothe window. The nurse was happy to make the switch and after making sure hewas comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himselfup on one elbow to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy ofseeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the windowbeside the bed ... ..........It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate whohad described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse respondedthat the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhapshe just wanted to encourage you."
***Epilogue . . .*
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our ownsituations. shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, isdoubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you havethat money can't buy.
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