Hospital Windows

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.

And 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."