Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #03818
To: beam@corp.sgi.com
From: "Juchniewicz" vageta@cyberwar.com
Date: Thu, 27 May 1999 20:56:26 -0400
Subject: [alt-beam] happyness
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here's a nice little story for u guys
> A Tale of Two Men
> =
> 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, even 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 in similar fashion. 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. =
> 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
to =
> describe such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded
that =
> the man was blind - he could not even see the wall. She said:
> =
> "Perhaps he knew it would make you happier ."
> =
> 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. =
> =
> The origin of this letter is unknown, but it brings good luck to everyone
who =
> passes it on. Do not keep this letter.
> =
> Do not send money. Just forward it to five of your friends to whom you
wish =
> good luck. You will see that something good happens to you four days from
> now. =
> =
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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one-hour
> periods where his wo=
rld =
would be broadened and enlivened by all the
activity
> and color =
of =
the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a
lovely
> l=
ake. =
Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their
model =
> boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every colo=
r =
of
the
> rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fin=
e =
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 o=
n the =
other side of the room would
close
> his eyes and imagine the =
picturesque scene.
> One warm afternoon the man by the window describ=
ed 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 in =
similar fashion. One morning, the day nurse arrived
to
> bring wa=
ter =
for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by
the
>=
; =
window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.
> 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
> makin=
g =
sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he
&=
gt; =
propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world
outs=
ide. =
> Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strain=
ed to =
> slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blan=
k =
wall.
> The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his dec=
eased =
roommate
to
> describe such wonderful things outside this window.=
The =
nurse responded
that
> the man was blind - he could not even see =
the =
wall. She said:
>
> "Perhaps he knew it would make you ha=
ppier =
."
>
> 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 f=
eel =
rich, just count all of the things you
have
> that money can't bu=
y. =
>
> The origin of this letter is unknown, but it brings good =
luck =
to everyone
who
> passes it on. Do not keep this letter.
> =
> Do not send money. Just forward it to five of your friends to whom=
=
you
wish
> good luck. You will see that something good happens to=
you =
four days from
> now.
>
eGroups.com home: http://=">http://www.egroups.com/group/alt-beam">http://=
www.egroups.com/group/alt-beam
www.egroups.com">http://www.egroups.com">www.egroups.com
- Simplifying group =
communications
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