^^^^^^  WARM GREETINGS  FROM  ^^^^^^^^^^^^  :-)
 Ivan Suzman        49/39/36       [log in to unmask]   :-)
 Portland, Maine    land of lighthouses       70   deg. F   :-)
********************************************************************

--------- Forwarded message ----------



>Subject: Two men in a hospital room
>
>
>>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 colour 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 colour 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 of the
things
>>you have that money can't buy.  "Today is a gift,
that's why it is called
>>the present."

_____________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Free instant messaging and more at http://messenger.yahoo.com
                           Maine GayNet Events Calendar
             http://www.huntcal.com/cgi-local/calview.cgi/GayNet/Events