Two men, both seriously ill, lived in 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 on his back.
兩個男人都患著重病，住在同一家醫院的同一間病房裡。其中一個病人允許每天下午在床上坐一個小時，幫助排除肺部的積水。他的床緊靠病房唯一的一扇窗戶。另外一個病人必須整天躺著。
The men talked for hours. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
兩個病人每天都談好幾個小時的話。他們說到自己的妻子和家庭，他們的家園和工作，他們的軍人生涯，他們在哪裡度假。
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 was very happy to have the one hour and he hoped to see the outside world.
每天下午，當靠窗戶的病人能夠坐起來的時候，他總是給他病房的同伴描述窗外的一切情形，打發時間。另一張病床上的病人很喜歡能有這一個小時的快樂時光，希望能夠看到外面的世界。
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm among 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 detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
窗外是一個公園，裡面有一個漂亮的湖。鴨子和天鵝在水中嬉戲，孩子們在湖上划船。年輕的情侶們手挽手在五彩繽紛的鮮花間行走，遠處可以看見城市高樓優美的剪影。當靠窗戶的病人詳細描述這些情景的時候，房間那邊的病人總是合上眼睛，想象如畫的景緻。
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.
有一天下午，坐在窗前的病人描述一個遊行隊伍走過去的情形。雖然另外一個病人聽不到樂隊的演奏，但他能在腦海中想象。
Weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the man by the window had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
幾個星期之後的一天早上，值白班的護士來到病房給他們打水洗浴，結果發現靠窗戶的病人在睡夢中安詳地去世了。她很傷心，叫來醫院的服務人員把遺體送走。
After that, 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.
此後，另外一個病人問可不可以讓他搬到靠窗戶的床位。護士很樂意調換一下。把病人安頓好後她離開了，留下他一個人。
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse, “Why did he describe the invented world for me?”
緩慢地，他用一個肘子痛苦地支撐起自己，第一次看到外面的世界。 窗戶對著一堵空白的牆。病人問護士：“他為什麼給我講述虛構的世界 呢？”
The nurse told him that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”
護士告訴他，那個病人是個盲人，連牆也看不見。她說“也許他只是想鼓勵你。”
Please remember that there’s tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.
請記住，在讓別人快樂的時候，我們自己也收穫了極大的快樂，不論我們的境況如何。共患難，痛苦減半；同歡樂，歡樂倍增。
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