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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."

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."