HAPPINESS WHEN SHARED, IS DOUBLED

 TREMENDOUS HAPPINESS IN MAKING OTHERS HAPPY

     There were two seriously ill men occupying the same hospital room.  One of them 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 usually 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 looking out the window and describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside.  The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where he 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.  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 way.  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 then asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate to described such wonderful things outside this window.

     The nurse told him that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.  She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

LESSON LEARNED:

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. Real Treasures, that has been bestowed upon us, the gift of sight, sound and smell. The gift of family and friends. The gift of life, knowledge and wisdom.

Life laughs at you when you are unhappy, Life smiles at you when you are happy, but life salutes you when you make others happy.

SHARED FROM: http://www.ezsoftech.com/stories