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 th! e 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.”
Author Unknown
{ 163 comments… read them below or add one }
This story is very inspiring which teaches people to live for others and the value of life….very fantastic story … I loved it and enjoyed it a lot…..
Fantastic story!!! It gives me more inspiration.
This story reinforces my faith in living for others…
I love this story… it’s so fantastic and makes me happy and inspired me lot…
Good heart touching story.
The story is realy an interesting one that gives us not only a moral to help others upto our limits but also suggestions how we can be helpful to others.
This story brought me to tears. It may sound stupid but I guess I’d never thought about things like that before. People have such hard times in hospital and reading this shows that whether it’s real or not, through God we have hope always and a new way of looking at the world!
This story is so touching! The twist was unexpected. This shows that doing bad for others will hit you back like a mirror reflection!
Really … I am speechless…. superb story…. I love it….
A very sentimental, heart toching story……
Enjoyed a lot and the story is very fantastc.
It’s fantastic…..
Remember – LIVE FOR OTHERS!!!!!!!
its like a one of the good stories which i m come across in my life…….amazing…encourage others
Very nice
This storty gives a positive vibration through out the body, very inspiring…
Very inspiring story. Live and enjoy your life. Its precious……..
God bles u for such wonderful stories dat fill e heart
This is a great story of encouragement.
I think it’s a great story …… I enjoy it so much.
Awesome….. speechless…….literally in TEARS
Wow!!! I love this story!!! Sooo nice… so inspiring!!!
<3 <3
Nice story this story inspired me a lot. Hay guy try to live for others today onwards i take an oths that i will whole heartly appreciate the good thing döne by others and encourage them .
Amazing story!! I loved it and I am writer basically and want to be like the blind man who could imagine such beautiful things and tell out.
Good story.It is a heart touching story.i like this story
I love it.
Good and inspirint story.
Nice story this kind of stories are necessary for the people of these generation .
amazing and heart touching..i m speechless..i enjoyed it a lot
wow! heads off to you man….!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A touching story …. Too Good
encouraging story
the man was a great man
very nice cant say in words
Don’t leave hopes till living or until death. Inspiration by any means to others gives a new life.
Good to read
Awesome inspiring story…
omg
this story touched me in many different ways.
THIS STORY TOUCHED MY CORE OF HEART.
I SHOULD DO SOMETHING IN LIFE FOR THAT SOMEONE WILL CRY WHEN I DIE
Nice moral to learn…………..
Really a Heart touching story…nice one…
whoa that was so…different
this story is good inspirational story, it tells us the real meaning of life is to live for others.
it touches my heart it’s a true story
fantastic story
Beautiful one…keep up the good work….
the story is really…….. superb i love the moral of story
I have no word to say! I can’t say how is the story… if I say it is nice, good, beautiful, fantastic… it is not enough to this story… unbelievable thinking unbelievable.
What a fantastic way to teach others how we can use imagination to enjoy life in every phase of it, even in its worst phase.
What if all people in the world behave in this same manner, things would totally be different.
VERY INSPIRING!!! I LOVE READING THIS KIND OF STORIES.
I don’t have words to explain my feelings… Living for others… it is so good!
Very, very good story, but why didn’t the blind dude tell the other one he was blind…….. FREAKKY!!!
Greatttttttttttttttt story
Very, very inspirational and must read and feel about the moral behind in it
I heard this story years ago and never forgot it. I was inspired to read it again. Thank you
Very moving, I love it.
I gave promise to my uncle’s son that I will tell him a story. Guess what? Now I can tell him this fabulous story.
Really heart touching.
This story is very inspiring, build my self-confidence, and teach me to serve others in need, yet leave mark in my heart. I will share this story to others so that they’ll inspired to. TQ..
Wonderful story. What a great idea of showing inspiration. Keeps one thinking… why not live for others.
Out of the five stories I’ve read here, I think this is the most beautiful. I appreciated it a lot .. Thanks for this
To exercise such a selfless act is very much needed nowadays.
Lovely story from now onwards my favorite also
Amazing story… shocked me.
mh! this story really touches my heart. can’t help myself to be emotional.
Nice story..
This story turns the human who are cruel in nature
It touched my soul in two ways. 1st the imagination and 2nd the craze to see life.
I love it….it is really a beautiful story. Probably without the hope informed by the man next to the window the other man would not have seen more days
This story is from the book “Who will cry when u die”…. Author Robin Sharma
Really a heart touching story. True moral for how to live one’s life!!!
I am deeply touched.
No words to praise
Cool story, I wish whole world have similar mind set. What a nice place our world’d be if everyone turns out like these guys. lol.
Great inspirational story.
really heart touching story……………
Moral story and encouraging too. Want more stories like this.
What a wonderful story.
I did not plan to go to this website at first but when I opened it, it was simply fabulous. All my debate stories are from this website!
The moral of the story is that we are to think less of our own comfort and more of the comfort of others.
Think not of what can be done to add meaning into your life, but think of what you can do to make other’s lives more meaningful. The ailing blind man could not see, but he made the other man see meaning in life. We were created by God to live for Him and therefore for others.
Awesome story… great way of showing inspiration…. live for othres.
Anyone know who wrote this? I really would like to get in touch of the writer!
One of the best and most important lesson in life I learned today after reading this beautiful story. Thank you.
Really good, it gives positive energy, thanks to writer and who posted it.
Heart Touching!!!!
This was very amazing to read, because the guy was blind the fact he could just imagine that when being blind. And the one that had to lay on his back he said to the nurse can i switch and sit by the window, and asked he the nurse wheres the park and she goes he was blind. It just touches me to that he did that to exhilarate him.
It’s pathetic, let us learn to do good and help the people around us.
Exhilirating and inspirational
In life, encouragement is very important, lending a hand to others in matter which they feel impossible is really great and sounds good of ur presence in the earth.
As the man was unhappy of his body condition where he was unable to get up, the other man although lame helped him to experience a vision of wonderful things to his last breathe of life. Nobody noticed his greatness during his presence, all was realized after.
I like the story so so so much..Heart touching story..God bless all persons like that..
How can I explain my feelings………… fantastic, beautiful, inspirable, all these words are not enough for this story……. thanks to the author.
One of the best stories I read till now……..
Superb. It re-echos God’s greatest command- love your neighbour as yourself.
It is an awesome and heart touching story. Please give some more!
The guy at the window lost sight but he still had vision and most importantly he was not selfish with it, he shared his vision thus made others around him happy.
Excellent story.
Reading the story itself makes us feel amazed. What if we are the part of such little, beautiful situations? Blessed to be a human and live human.
I shed tears after reading this sad story
I like it, very nice ~~~
A nice energetic story. I say it must be added in a course book.
A heart touching story !
Giving others happiness will give you double happiness.
I want be like such a blind man to spread the fragnence of happiness of joy to making live others a life which is dreamed by me…..
This site contains a treasure of humility which can realy change one’s vision towards life…. Hats off to the author’s imagination..!!
Even if u are not able to experience any pleasure of life, try to give it to others…nd u’ll have even more pleasing moments to live! Superb story!
Thank u for reminding me the meaning of life. We know many things but we keep forgetting.
wonderful story, it reminds me the treatment toward others.
Thank you for the story.
Heart touching story… and very inspiring…
Nice touching story…
Nice encouraging story
Tears fall from my eyes after reading this story.. I love this and I hope there are still people like the one who is blind in the story.
wonderful story
A very nice story that one should read
Really amazing
Really inspirational story, great one.
This is such a touching story. I just hope the author left a name for recognition.
The best of the best….
Such a wonderful story for me to represent to my classmates.
Just love it !!!
It’s really a very nice, motivational story that teaches how to encourage others…
Great story.
Very motivational story … actually everyone should think positively like the window man……
It’s inspiring
It’s really a heart touching story and motivate the people who is fixed and help to others in every which way possible!!!!
Live like a candle who melts himself but always give a bright smile… till death..
Great story
The blind man brings new hope in the life of others.
The blind man can see the world without eyes but the man who have eyes can’t see the world properly.
I thought pain and suffering is now my whole life ……but this inspiring story makes me realise and think for what I still have.
Though the blind man can’t use his physical sight; his mental sight is totally active. Nice one.
To the one who wrote this, I SALUTE YOU!
Very true. We should always lead life for others then only it becomes more color and meaningful.
Nice Story
Thank you for opening our mind with your touching story. Bauba from SA.
It is nice and encouraging.
Nice story!
It is really inspiring, learned a lot from this wonderful story.
I’m looking for a story for me to share with my schoolmates. I really have a hard time looking for a heart-touching story until I found this. It made me cry. I realized that we live not only for ourselves but also for everybody. =)
Thanks to almighty ALLAH for giving us such a wonderful life.
This story is awesome, I also like a comment that was posted above.
This story brought me to tears. It may sound stupid but I guess I’d never thought about things like that before. People have such hard times in hospital and reading this shows that whether it’s real or not, through God we have hope always and a new way of looking at the world!
This story is super amazing
I’m a 7th year BTW.
Nice story.
Very cute story.
Very cute imagination…through this story we can learn the art of imagination
We must all be thankful of what we have now…
This kind of scenario is very inspirational. Life must go on. Even if we are not perfect… God Bless… 
Such a sad story, but inspiring. I love it.
Awesome
Really inspiring one… If we want to make a difference then live for others…..
The story is worth reading.
I really luv this one
The story is so encouraging…heartwarming story….
WONDERFUL … very inspiring!
Heart touching….!
This story is beautiful!
It’s a nice story, it tells we should encourage friends upto our limit.
This is a really great story. That guy was really trying to lighten the other guy’s mood. Sad that he passed away.
Thanks. A very inspiring story… Two thumbs up.
What is the quote or text that supports that short stories help us in life?
Made my tears like crystals.
This story is over 50 years old, I thought O. Henry wrote it. However I cannot find it mentioned in his works, the first time I saw it was in the late 50′s or early 60′s on a TV SHOW I thought it was the O. henry playhouse but I am probably wrong.
However when i saw it, it was I think two men in a prisoner of war hospital in Germany, If you have ever read any of O.Henry’s works like the gift of magi or the Ransom of red chief, you can see, the similarities. However, it is a good story and shows the two sides of human nature: oh in the one I saw, when the one man died and the other one was moved to the window, he did the same thing for his roommate. You know lied to him!
This story is a teaching in itself how one so lifeless and deprived himself could so efficiently describe something just for sake of small happy moments of others life….that’s really wonderful to memorize and practice….
Interesting story…..
One of the best stories I have read.
Great example of encouragement.
One of the Best stories I have read.