The Hospital Window

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 blanked 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.

The Carrot, Egg & Coffee beans

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how thingswere so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water andplaced each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see." "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft.

The mother then asked the daughter to takean egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity -- boiling water.

Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after beingsubjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside becamehardened.The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in theboiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with painand adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat?Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, afinancial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with astiff spirit and hardened heart?Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, thevery circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.

If you are like the bean, when thingsare at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity?

Are you acarrot, an egg or a coffee bean?May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make youstrong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; theyjust make the most of everything that comes along their way.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyonearound you is crying.
You might want to send this message to those people who mean something toyou (I JUST DID); to those who have touched your life in one way or another,to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down; to thosewhose friendships you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in yourlife.

It's easier to build a child than repair an adult.This is so true -- may we all be COFFEE!!

Lunch with The God

A little boy wanted to meet God.He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered her a Twinkie. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer.

Again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word. As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman, and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you look so happy?" He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!" Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and asked, "Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?" She replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." However, before her son responded, she added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch,! ! a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

Remember, we don't know what God will look like. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally!

The True Measure of Greatness

A young student once asked his old teacher, "Teacher,what is the true measure of greatness?" The teacher looked far away into the mountains and gave thefollowing reply:"Some measure greatness in height and weight, but greatpeople are never so tall as when they stoop to talk toa child or bend their knees to help a hurting friend.

Some measure greatness in physical strength, but great people are never so strong as when they shoulder theburden of the downtrodden stranger.

Some measure greatness in terms of financial gain, butthose who show generosity to their family and friends,they are the ones who are truly rich.

Some measure greatness in applause and accolades, butthose who seek opportunity to serve in the quiet placesof the world, theirs is the higher reward.

Some measure greatness in commitment to achieving in material ways, but those who spur others on to reachtheir goals is great indeed.Great people have vision and do not keep the truth tothemselves.

Great people have passion for life and are not ashamed to show it.

Great people expect the best from others and give thebest of themselves.

Great people know how to work and how to play, how tolaugh and how to cry, how to give and how to receive,how to love and how to be loved.

"There are many people who are by the world calledgreat, but those who bear honor in their hearts, whocan, in the evening hours, lie upon their beds and peacefully close their eyes, knowing that they havedone all that is within their power to live their livesfully and fruitfully, those are truly great people."
Randall S. Weeks