The Hospital Window


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Hospital Window
A great note for all to read 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 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 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.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can’t buy.

"Today is a gift, that’s why it is called the present."





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  • Djames
    Good point Zengineer, it does promote the idea of lying is good if it benefits the other person, but to what end is it a bad thing if it's going to help a person get better. It's a fine line to lie to someone who needs help and lying to someone for the sake of lying. The man who was near the window, could have known that the person would remain depressed and most likely not get over his ailment without his little story of life outside the window. A lot of people take pity on themselves and really are their own worst enemy and can not get over an ailment or depressing mindset. Sometimes, by changing their mind set and getting them to look forward to something to come, such as getting over their ailment to be part of the world outside, they miraculously get better.

    But it definitely something kids would have a hard time learning and knowing the difference of when something like this could be acceptable. It is definitely not the same as lying to someone to protect them, or lying to have someone avoid trouble. But I like I said, it's a major debate to say when is it good to do something like this man in the story did. In this case, I think it is a good thing he did it, to give the man in the other room hope and brighten his day. Granted I would've found a different way of doing it.
  • Zengineer
    Touching, but ethically defective. This story justifies lying in order to make someone feel good. The maxim is that the outcome justifies the action.

    A similar behaviorial item concerns the way parents lie to their kids regarding Santa Claus, Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy. One psychologist explained that this teaches children that even their own parents can engage in elaborate lies and deception in order to entertain and indulge, even though they denounce lying in general. The outcome is that kids learn skepticism, even toward their parents. This extends to skepticism toward theological dogma. This psychologist claimed that these are positive experiences and are needed sociologically to teach kids skepticism. The guy in this story probably ends up wondering if the next room-mate is fabricating stories too - in a state of prepetual skepticism.
  • i am gonna show this to my friend, brother
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