.........................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,their famillies,theirjobs,their involvement in the military service,where they had been on holiday.
Every afternoon when the man by the window could sit up,he would pass the time of day by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in he other bed began to live for these 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 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,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 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 the window.
The nurse replied that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
Richard
BREATHE EASY =FRIENDSHIP
Go to your local Breathe Easy group and be enlivened by all the activities.
Join for free when you go to your first meeting.
Alternatively contact the British Lung Foundation on 03000 030 555 Mon -Fri 10am 6pm
for details.