Imagination By Mary Layton
Recently a friend told me a beautifulstory.
At a hospital two sick men are sharing a room. One of them haspermission to situp on hisbed for one hour, every day in the afternoon.Thisman’sbed isnext to a window.The other man’sbed isat the opposite side of the room. He hasbeen ordered to lay stilland not move. They talk for hoursabout their wives, family, time spent in the military, travelsand what they like to eat.After some time they become good friends.
Every day, in the afternoon, the sick man whose bed is next to the window, sitsup and reports everything he seesoutside his windowto hisroommate.The other sick man feelsmuch better and invigorated listening to hisfriend’sdescription of what liesoutside: There is nice park and a little pond with ducksand geese, kidsare playing there with their little toy boatsand throwbread crumbsto the ducks.The big, old cedar treesadd character and a sense of security and shelter. In the far distance are townhouses, lined up in neat rows.The roofsare glowing warmly in the afternoon sun.
The roommate who cannot move, closeshiseyes and imaginesall this. Daysand weeksgo by. One morning, on her routine delivery of medicine, the nurse discoversthat the man who isnext to the windowpassed away peacefully in his sleep. Upsetshe callsfor help to remove the deceased from the room.The other man whose health hasbeen improving, begsthe nurse to be moved next to the window.The nurse agreesto it. After some clean up, the man ismoved to lay in his late friend’sbed by the window.With greatdifficulty he pullshimself up to look outside to see the world with hisown eyes.
To hisgreat bewildermentand shock, allhe sees– isa large wall in frontof the window. Perplexed and in a panic he callsthe nurse and asksher whatwould make hisroommate tellhim thingsthataren’t there, like telling himabout thisbeautifulscenery and attractive town?
The nurse replies: Thisman was blind. He could noteven see the wall thatyou see. May be he wanted to give you strong hope for your heart.
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