Do You Want to Change How You See Life? You Should Look Outside Your Window
Through the words of the eyes of the blind. The unforgettable story written by G.W. Target that you should read.
What would you say to your past-self and present-self knowing what is it in the present?
Take your time to answer, and let me share my story.
It was in 2022 when I read the first self-help book, Life Lifters, by Zig Ziglar (Hilary Hinton Ziglar). Life Lifters is a book that lifts clouds on shoulders and sparks inspiration. The book had been on the bookshelf for years in my grandparent’s house when I decided to open it.
While reading the book, I came across chapter fifteen, one of many chapters stuck in my mind. Even though it has been years since I last read the book, I can still remember that beautiful story, The Window by G.W. Target.
It is the story of two hospital roommates who spent their time together. The patient by the window who can move for a certain time would describe everything he could see outside to his roommate, painting a glorious worldview with his descriptive words.
The man on the other side had to lie on the bed at all times — close his eyes and imagine the scenes his friend described. One morning, the man by the window died and the other man asked to be moved next to the window, only to discover it faced a blank wall.
A very short story yet it gives a profound moral. Two imperative lessons that put sense to our sight, and word.
The exchange of events left an impression on me for a long time — the man who can’t see shares words that enable others to see.
Can you imagine the feeling when you’re in that situation?
In life, sometimes, the words that come out of our mouths are poorly thought out. We spurt words now and then without knowing how it would affect others. Or maybe, it’s about intention that differs from personal interpretation to others’ resulting in misunderstanding.
Or it is just a response to the environment living in.
It’s complex to determine what in those reasons our words are driven because it all boils down to individual differences. From morning to night, and minute, and hour.
Our word is mostly fueled by our emotions rather than our hearts and minds. These emotions may be rooted in experiences or environments.
The message of the story puts the importance of our words. It tells a lesson about how we can make life with words, and how words can break life
The words have motives for what the heart might receive differently.
In the story, the words of the blind intentions are encouragement which helps his roommate to have that picture to hold on to. Even though he couldn’t see it in his own eyes, he was able to see and live in that painted view internally.
Despite the realization that it was just a wall outside the window, there is more than the wall that you can see in the story. A person who hasn’t seen so much compared to someone who can see was able to see the world at its best.
It taught a lesson that we can see what’s beyond the world if we combine and use our hearts and minds. I stumble upon a video that shares a quote from the scriptures that says:
The things which are seen are temporary but the things which are not are eternal.
Takeaways…
I can see these two characters as our past and present selves. The patient who is not blind is our past self, a person who has dreams in life and has flaring ambition despite ordeals while in the process.
On the other hand, the blind patient is the present self, a person who sees beauty, and optimism for the future despite uncertainty. His philosophy of positive words symbolizes the beauty of life experiences — despite the limitations of vision of the future, we can still find a way to flourish and prepare.
