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"

在一个病房里有两个人，他们都患了很严重的病。其中一个因为肺部积了很多液体，每天下午有一个小时需要坐起来。他的病床对著病房中唯一的窗口。

另外一个病人却整天都要卧在床上。二人无所不谈，有说及太太、家庭、住所、工作、在军队和放假的时日。

每天下午当靠窗那位可以坐起来的时候，他就会将见到窗外的事物详细地告诉他的同房。这位只可以听的开始越来越享受这一小时的报导，他的世界每天就这样被扩大，平淡的生活也变成多姿多彩。

这个窗外有一个花园，花园里面有一个小湖。鸭子和天鹅在水上嬉戏，儿童则在湖中放模型船。情侣牵著手儿在鲜艳的花蒲里散步，远处可以看见市内一些高楼大厦。

每当这位病人形容所见的细节，另外一位就会闭上眼睛，幻想他所听到的描述。

一个暖和的下午，这位病人描述他所见到的游行，虽然另外那个听不到乐队的音乐，他可以见到。他同伴每一个字仿佛就将整个图画画在他的心境里。一天一天这样地过去。

一个早上，当护士小姐来预备为他们两位洗澡的时候，她发现靠窗那位在睡梦中已经平安地离去。她在泪中安排医院有关部门将尸体移出去。

余下那位病人抓紧机会，要求将他的床移到窗旁边。护士没有甚麽意见，不用多久就安排妥当，然後离开病房。慢慢地，忍著痛地，他用他的手支持他的身体，使自己可以看到窗外的世界。

惊奇地，他发现窗外只是一面空白的墙。他就问护士小姐甚麽会使他去世的同房有这麽美丽的看见。

护士回应说死者是瞎子，根本没有可能看到窗外的墙。她说：“也许他想说一些话来鼓励你吧”。

结论：

“不论我们自己的情况如何，使别人快乐就可以带来自己的快乐”。

“痛苦分担了就馀下了一半痛苦，快乐分享了就变了两倍快乐”。

“如果你想感到富有，你只需要数算你所拥有而金钱买不到的东西”。