There were two patients in a General Ward. Their beds were adjacent to each other named as Bed A and Bed B separated by a white curtain to maintain their privacy.
Bed A was facing the entrance whereas Bed B was next to a window.
Bed A patient was somewhat jealous of Bed B as he wanted to be next to the window and feel the breeze, see the beauty outside that might relieve him of his pain. To fulfil his ego he started interacting with the Bed B patient and gradually used to ask what he can see outside through the window. He made sure he asks this many times in a day so that Bed B patient gets irritated and change his bed with him.
Bed B patient being calm and ignorant to Bed A patient’s ideas used to describe all that he could see through the window, lying down on the bed. He used to explain each and every instance in such a beautiful manner that Bed A patient used to forget his pain and feel relieved.
One morning Bed A patient got up and he found Bed B patient missing. He wanted to again trouble him and ask the same question again “What can he see through the window?”
He called for the nurse and enquired about Bed B patient. To which he was told that he passed away last night.
He was sad but at the same time he felt that now he can take that bed and see all the beautiful things around - chirping birds, blue sky and green plants with orchids around.
He requested the nurse to shift him to Bed B and it was fulfilled with no hassles.
The moment he laid down he pulled the curtain and was shocked to see that there was nothing outside the window. The window was facing the wall of the other section of the hospital. There were no trees, no orchids, no blue sky and no green plants as he was always told.
He felt bad for himself that all these days he troubled the other patient so that he gets this bed and that same person created a beautiful world to relieve him of his pain. He spent time in creating something that does not exist to give him happiness but now it is too late for him to apologise also.
Moral of the Story
We sometimes do not realise what others have done for us. They might have invested time, energy and may be money to give us happiness. They might have gone out of the way to bring a small smile on our face. Respect them. If you cannot do good to people do not bad as well. We all have our battles and others might be going through a tough battle than yours.
