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." 
    
    The origin of this letter is unknown.