change your thinking

It will take just 37 seconds to read this and
change your thinking.

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
besides 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.'