Cardinal sent this simple little story to me, at just the right moment today. It allowed me to read something nice and have a little cry. God is so good like that.
Jack
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 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 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 parade passing 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
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.'
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 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 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 parade passing 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
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.
.
.
