The Brick Wall

The Brick Wall

A POINT OF VIEW

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Two men shared a room at a care facility. They were both bedridden. One man’s bed faced the only window in the room. The other man envied that but was grateful for the way in which the window man described events taking place from the window.

“Yes, there’s a lovely park below and a small lake. Children are sailing little boats on the lake. And, oh yes, there’s a volleyball game going on as well as a baseball game.” One night the man in the bed near the window became agitated. He called to his roommate. “help me, I’m not feeling well.” His roommate was motionless. He could have called for the nurse, but he remained still.

As time passed, the man by the window became more agitated until there was silence. The next morning when the nurse came into the room to check on both men she found that the man near the window had had a heart attack and was dead. Days passed until the roommate turned to the nurse on duty and asked if his bed could be moved by the window. And so, it happened and once he was settled in his bed by the window, he turned and looked out. What did he see? A brick wall. People face brick walls all the time.

What do they do with what they face? They care for other people. This is what first responders and all the caregivers in these days of fear and injustice are doing. They are not only encouraging people, holding their hand, wiping their brow, but they are bringing many a measure of healing.

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