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 and 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
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 the things you have
that money can't buy.

"Today is a gift,that's why it is called the present."

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