The Window

(author unknown to me)

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, even 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 in similar fashion.  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 to describe 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."