心窗(Today is a gift)

twomen,bothseriouslyill,occupiedthesamehospitalroom.onemanwasallowedtositupinhisbedforanhoureachafternoontohelpdrainthefluidfromhislungs.hisbedwasnexttotheroom‘sonlywindow.theothermanhadtospendallhistimeflatonhisback.thementalkedforhoursonend.

两个病得很严重的男人，住进了同一个病房。其中一个每天下午要在床上坐一个小时，这样对于排出他肺部的水有帮助。他的床紧挨着这个病房唯一的一扇窗户。另一个病人要整天躺在床上。他们能连续谈上几个小时。

theyspokeoftheirwivesandfamilies,theirhomes,theirjobs,theirinvolvementinthemilitaryservice,wheretheyhadbeenonvacation.andeveryafternoonwhenthemaninthebedbythewindowcouldsitup,hewouldpassthetimebydescribingtohisroommateallthethingshecouldseeoutsidethewindow.themanintheotherbedbegantoliveforthoseone-hourperiodswherehisworldwouldbebroadenedandenlivenedbyalltheactivityandcoloroftheworldoutside.thewindowoverlookedaparkwithalovelylake.ducksandswansplayedonthewaterwhilechildrensailedtheirmodelboats.youngloverswalkedarminarmamidstflowersofeverycoloroftherainbow.grandoldtreesgracedthelandscape,andafineviewofthecityskylinecouldbeseeninthedistance.asthemanbythewindowdescribedallthisinexquisitedetail,themanontheothersideoftheroomwouldclosehiseyesandimaginethepicturesquescene.onewarmafternoonthemanbythewindowdescribedaparadepassingby.althoughtheothermancouldn‘theartheband-hecouldseeitinhismind‘seyeasthegentlemanbythewindowportrayeditwithdescriptivewords.

daysandweekspassed.onemorning,thedaynursearrivedtobringwaterfortheirbathsonlytofindthelifelessbodyofthemanbythewindow,whohaddiedpeacefullyinhissleep.shewassaddenedandcalledthehospitalattendantstotakethebodyaway.assoonasitseemedappropriate,theothermanaskedifhecouldbemovednexttothewindow.thenursewashappytomaketheswitch,andaftermakingsurehewascomfortable,shelefthimalone.slowlyandpainfully,heproppedhimselfupononeelbowtotakehisfirstlookattheworldoutside.finally,hewouldhavethejoyofseeingitforhimself.hestrainedtoslowlyturntolookoutthewindowbesidethebed.itfacedablankwall.

themanaskedthenursewhatcouldhavecompelledhisdeceasedroommatewhohaddescribedsuchwonderfulthingsoutsidethiswindow.thenurserespondedthatthemanwasblindandcouldnotevenseethewall.shesaid,"perhapshejustwantedtoencourageyou."