If you haven’t heard of Good Karmal yet, you’ve been missing out on these delicious, inspirational treats! A couple of months ago I received the sweetest email from a member of the Good Karmal community.

Hi!

I work at a company called Good Karmal, and we think Life Vest Inside is an awesome movement!  We’d love to send you a gift of Good Karmal to thank you for your efforts in spreading kindness and making the world a better place!

Sincerely,

Ronnie Ricker, CMO

Shortly after, I received the most beautiful gift box from Good Karmal. I’m a big candy lover, always have been. But when I opened the wrapping I began to see why Good Karmal stood out from all the rest. Each candy is individually wrapped with an inspiring, uplifting, and heartwarming quote. I was so touched by their generosity and as I began reading up about their company and mission, I fell in love with them even more! And so, I would like to extend my gratitude to Good Karmal not only for their generous gift, but also for creating a gift to sweeten the world from the inside out!

Here is just a taste of the motivational quotes you’ll find wrapped around each caramel candy:

“How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it” ~George Elliston

“Example is not the main thing in influencing others; it is the only thing” ~Albert Schweitzer

“What a caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly” ~Richard Bach

“To get something you never had, you have to do something you’ve never done”

Read below for more info about Good Karmal and try it for yourself!

The following information was taken from the Good Karmal website with their consent.

What is Good Karmal?

Good Karmal was born in 2002 with the hope of creating a gift that might sweeten the world.

From our very first batch, we believed that it was not enough to create delicious, buttery caramels to delight the senses — we wanted to spark imaginations and inspire our customers and ourselves to, as Mahatma Gandhi said, “be the change we wish to see in the world.” So we wrapped each handcrafted caramel with words of wisdom, and sent them out into the world.

The response was overwhelming. From our early start in a tiny Hollywood apartment, we quickly received national attention when Oprah Winfrey featured Good Karmal on her annual “Oprah’s Favorite Things” episode, sending our message out farther than we could ever have imagined.

Inspired by lives lived with bravery, compassion, and in harmony with nature, we invest our passion and integrity into every part of our business. Our caramels are made fresh from the finest all natural ingredients, without any additives or preservatives.

Believing that giving back to the Earth is the ultimate good karma, we donate a portion of all sales to environmental charities. In addition, we strive for earth-friendly packaging, choosing either recyclable or reusable containers produced from renewable resources.

From a little idea to a thriving business, Good Karmal has grown steadily each year, earning accolades, awards, and customer loyalty for our unwavering commitment to excellence and our unique and inspiring gifts. With operations now located beneath the Big Sky of Bozeman, Montana, we’re more dedicated than ever to creating a better and sweeter world, one bite at a time.

Good Karmal Founders

Patty Triplett West was a publicity executive at Warner Bros. and wanted to create a meaningful holiday gift for friends and colleagues. In a conversation about possible ideas such as homemade caramel and the idea of gift giving as good karma, her brother Stephen Triplett threw out the pun Good Karmal and an idea was born.

Looking to convey a deeper message beyond simply a decadent sweet, Patty envisioned a “fortune” wrapped around each piece printed with a positive quotation. Close friend and award-winning graphic artist Debra Matlock conceived the Buddha logo and designed the fortune. Then, combining the best elements of several recipes, Patty concocted a homemade caramel with the perfect blend of gooey texture and rich flavor.

Currently, Patty, her husband Ryan West, and Stephen manage the operations and strategic vision, while founding partners Heather and Debra still contribute greatly to the company’s direction and success.

Check them out on twitter!

________________________________________________________________

Thanks Again Good Karmal for supporting organizations such as Life Vest Inside!

Emily Shane was a 13 year old girl who was murdered on April 3, 2010 by a suicidal driver on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California. Emily lived in Malibu her entire, short life and was the youngest of three daughters to her parents, Ellen and Michel. Her sudden and tragic death had a tremendous impact on her family and entire community.

Emily was an extremely kind and empathic person. She was the type who would welcome a new student to the school, ask the child sitting alone at lunch to join her at the lunch table, and have a listening ear if you had a problem. She would cheer you up if were sad. In sports, she would cheer on her teammates & keep spirits up, no matter what the score. Emily had a joyous laugh that was contagious. She related well to people of all ages and left a positive impression on everyone she met.

In her honor, her family created a website: emilyshane.org. We encourage everyone to look at it. You will see a short bio about Emily and some photos of her. Most important, you can read postings of good deeds. We ask that you enter any and all good deeds to help us move closer to our goal of one hundred million good deeds! It can be the smallest gesture of kindness or a major act of significance. You can enter anonymously if desired. You can enter many deeds at one time, or one at a time.

We are proud to associate our “Pass it Forward” campaign with Life Vest Inside’s mission of spreading kindness and goodwill. We are linked by a goal of making the world a better place through affecting people’s mindset of reaching out to others.

Our website also features our Foundation’s SEA Program, which provides mentoring to struggling middle school students with learning/processing challenges who could not otherwise afford this type of support. You can click on that link, should you be interested in further information about this program.

April 19^th, 2012

On my way home from school, I take the 6 train from 23^rd Street then transfer to the F train at Broadway-Lafayette to get to Brooklyn. As usual, I rush into the train just before the doors close. Today, I couldn’t help but notice the man with a limp pleading for some change. “Another beggar”, I thought as I quickly moved through the cars to the front of the train in order that he doesn’t approach me. Just as I was about to arrive at my transfer stop, the train came to a halt. There was train traffic and we were stopped for a while. Soon enough, the doors connecting the train cars opens and in comes the beggar. I watched as he struggled to enter through the doors with carrying all of his life’s possessions. This time though, I knew I had nowhere to go. It was at that moment that I remembered Life Vest Inside’s message and understood why I was on that train at that time.

I reached my hand out to hold the door open for this man. What was seemingly a simple kind act turned into something magical that spread throughout the car. Some tourists noticed me holding the door open and they followed suit. Just before the man can open his mouth to speak, I tapped him on the shoulder, looked him the in eyes and handed him a dollar. He looked back at me with genuine appreciation and said “bless you, sir”. He finished his speech and one by one, nearly all of the passengers on the almost full car pulled out some money to support this man. I looked around at the people and I could see the kindness spreading throughout the car contagiously. One woman even pulled out a packed sandwich and gave it to the man. Just before the train was about to move forward, the man came to life. He began reciting the recorded messages that the train plays verbatim and wished us all a well.

Most of the time, we can get wrapped up in our day, rushing from one place to another trying to accomplish this and that while chasing after our view of success. And it’s not until our train comes to a halt that we take a look at those around us and recognize what we are really here for. There is so much we can accomplish once we realize how big the little things we do really are. If we can see how one simple act can make a broken man come to life, we will begin to recognize our potential to effect positive change in the world.

Joey Dweck is a student at Baruch College and an integral part to the Life Vest Inside team.

I had the great pleasure of speaking at the Hillel House in Baruch College this past week. Although I’ve been a teacher for the past 7 years and have spoken in public on countless occasions, I am always extremely nervous before addressing an audience, knowing full well that I may either have the words or I may not.

As a speaker, my main concern is to connect with those in the room and empower them to see their strengths, beauty and the potential they possess to accomplish great things. However, the fear and question always arises – Will I make an impact? Will I get through to even one student? Will I have the words to communicate the message I hold deep within my heart. I believe that these fears are common amongst all speakers.

I have committed myself to Life Vest Inside for one reason – to make a difference! However, in life we always question whether the things we do and the effort we put in truly do make a difference. Then there are those moments when we are able to see first hand the impact we’ve made.

After the event last week, I was honored and touched to receive one of the most heartfelt and powerful emails from one of the students who attended the event. I was so taken aback and her words reminded me of exactly why I do what I do!

So, the next time you have the opportunity to show gratitude to someone in your life – take it! You have no idea just how meaningful kind words can be to the person receiving them. Thank you Aly for making not only my day, but my entire year! I have a good feeling that this is the beginning of a great friendship:)

Below is the email Aly wrote after the event:

“One simple act of kindness” is all Life Vest Inside asks of us. Sounds simple and commonsensical, so why don’t we participate in these simple acts more often? Listen to the founder, Orly, speak and you will be regretting not saying good morning to your doorman or giving directions to a lost tourist.  Her passion for what she does is truly inspirational and her stories prove that “kindness keeps the world afloat”.

So often do the social movements of our generation revolve around ”correcting” inequality and have a cynical view of mankind, such as the various Occupy movements. Life Vest’s message is unique in that it transcends age, race, gender, socioeconomics, as well as language barriers. Kindness is a message that never goes out of style. You are never too poor, too old, too young or too wealthy to flash someone a smile. Who knows, this smile may just be what the recipient needs.

Orly’s message closely resonated with me. I am frequently guilty of placing more value on the destination or achieving success in my own life that I don’t always pay attention to the journey or my immediate surroundings. I text a classmate, facebook message a friend, listen to music, all while somehow managing to email my boss from my desk at work. In this multitasking, it is easy to neglect the person who empties your trash can or cleans the bathroom stalls. A simple thank you may be just what that person needs and inspire them to pay the kindness forward. We all have bad days where we wish that kind someone would have reached out to us to assuage our fears and let us know that everything is going to be alright. It is important to remember those times and do onto others as we would like to be treated. I am a firm believer that the rule is golden, not silver and we should not let it tarnish.

It is easy to be egocentric in a society that places such emphasis on the individual. I use the word “I” more often than I’d like to admit; in fact, this sentence now uses “I” four times. I am cognizant now of ways to correct this selfishness. “I” doesn’t have to be a negative pronoun. Change starts at the micro-individual level; kindness does too. Ghandi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” If only he could have met Orly, a walking embodiment of Life Vest Inside’s mission. 

Growing up, I was well acquainted with the idioms “we are all in the same boat,” and “we sink or swim together.” While Orly is not an engineer by trade, she understands that the world we live in has critical design flaws. If we view the world we live in as a boat, it is a sinking ship punctured by injustices. I am now jumping ship. Life Vest Inside has made me a believer in the idea that “kindness keeps the world afloat.” The world can be a scary place but it doesn’t mean we should forget to do the right thing.  It all starts and ends with one simple act of kindness.

The Hillel at Baruch College invites many speakers to come educate their students of the various social issues of today’s time and motivate them to take action as they prepare for their journey into the real world. This week, students at the Baruch Hillel were privileged to meet an amazing person named Orly Wahba.

Orly is the founder of Life Vest Inside, an organization whose mission is to equip people with the necessary tools they need to become a catalyst for positive change in the world. Spreading her ideas of self-value, love, and kindness allowed for students to open their eyes to see the worth of all humankind.

Life Vest Inside taught us that inspiration can only take us so far. Seeing a touching commercial, or hearing a motivational speech may make us cry, talk about it on our dinner table, or even sign up to volunteer. But if we want to see change, we must be that change.

Kindness isn’t something we schedule in our planner on Wednesdays from 6 – 8. Because it’s more than what we do, it’s who we are. It’s holding the elevator door open for someone, giving up our seat on the subway, or even saying “hello” to the janitor we normally pass by. Kindness is a universal language that transcends age, race, gender, and social class. It is embodied in everything that surrounds us if we just open our eyes to it. Once we become aware the various opportunities that surround us each day, we will begin to recognize our own potential to effect positive change.

“Life Vest Inside has made me a believer in the idea that ‘kindness keeps the world afloat’. The world can be a scary place but it doesn’t mean we should forget to do the right thing.  It all starts and ends with one simple act of kindness.” – Aly Cohen (Student)

“The feedback received about Life Vest Inside was tremendous. It was unanimously agreed that it was the most captivating speaker we’ve ever had.” – Elliot Dilamani (Events Coordinator – Baruch Hillel)

Interested in having Orly Wahba speak at your school?

Email orly@lifevestinside.com for more details and be sure to check out lifevestinside.com.

Thank you Joey for such a beautiful write up. It was an honor and a pleasure to speak at Baruch College. I look forward to many more events to come! I would also like to thank Elliot and all those at Baruch’s Hillel House for making the event possible.

Act of Kindness:

Give Someone a HUG!

(The kind that comes from the heart, not just the arms!)

What’s even more awesome than one hug? A whole day dedicated to giving and receiving HUGS, so mark your calendar and get your arms ready! See how you can be involved in the VOICES Free Hug Day below!

JOIN Orly Wahba and Life Vest Inside in Times Square (by the bleachers) on Sunday, May 13th for a day all about human connection! Let’s spread kindness by showing the importance of human touch and affection!

The following piece is written by Stephen De Groot from Getting to Better, and cross listed here with his permission:

On Saturday May 12^th, 2012  Getting to Better, Life Vest Inside, See Beautiful™ and a whole bunch of amazing people from all over the world have joined up to support VOICES Manitoba’s Youth in Care Network and VOICES Free Hug Day. * See below for locations and helpers.

Free Hug Day was initiated by VOICES and the VOICES Leadership Team to promote the importance of making connections and building caring, supportive relationships with kids who are in care (CFS/Foster Care/Group Care). Free Hug Day is also used to promote the importance of hugs and connections between all people.

Options and How YOU can HELP:
1. Forward this message to as many people you think may be interested.
2. Visit the Voices Free Hug Day page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/VoicesFHD) and click on “LIKE” – it’s like a virtual HUG!
3. Encourage as many people to visit the Free Hug Day Facebook Page to get involved.
4.  Upload a picture or video of a smiling face or hugs on the Free Hug Page
5. Give someone a HUG and tell them it is to bring awareness to the importance of making connections with kids and former kids from care (CFS/Foster/Group Care)
6. Join one of the Free Hug Day locations (see below) and give or receive a Hug
7. Host a Free Hug location – it’s easy; just make a t-shirt or a sign that says “Free Hugs” and offer hugs from a Park, Sidewalk, School Campus, or anywhere in your community
8. Host a Free Hug Day location in your community and handout informational pamphlets (Let us know and we can send a PDF to you)
9. Learn about the important work of VOICES Manitoba’s Youth in Care Network

Support and Inspiration
If you would like more details on how you or someone else can help or, you are thinking about a Free Hug Day in your community and would like some help, please contact Steve at degroots@mymts.net

If you would like to know more about VOICES Manitoba’s Youth in Care Network and Free Hug Day, see the VOICES web page or contact Marie Christian at marie@voices.mb.ca

If you would like to follow all of the Free Hug Day developments and action you can check out the Voices Free Hug Day page, or follow my Tweets on Twitter at – https://twitter.com/#!/GettingtoBetter

If you would like to feel good or be inspired by Free Hug Day, check out some of the footage from last years VOICES Free Hug Day – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIPRmIvX8G4

If you would like to learn more about the Importance of human connection and touch, the importance of connecting with children and youth in care or, would like some tips on hugging see this article – http://www.gettingtobetter.ca/newsletter/november-2011/

Current List of Locations and Helpers – Growing Weekly and Room for More!
List will be updated weekly at - Free Hug Day Facebook Page

Winnipeg, Manitoba(at the Forks) 11:00 am – 2 pm – Marie Christian and the VOICES Leadership Team

Sydney Australia at the Queen Victoria Building from 10 am – 12 pm – Steve de Groot, Neil Davies and company

New York City at Times Square at 12:00 noon (47^th Street and Broadway) – Orly Wahba and company (This is the only location that will occur on May 13^{th, 2012} )

Atlanta Georgia at Centennial Olympic Park from 12 – 1 pm – Lydia Criss Mays and company

Hong Kong, China at Time Square (time to be determined) with Tara Alderson and company

London Ontario at the Core Family Health Centre - http://www.corefamilyhealth.com (time to be determined) – Andrea Nair and company

Victoria, British Columbia(TBA) with Tracy Morrissey and company

The Kawartha Region, Eastern Ontario (specific locations TBD) with Heather Sago and company

KingstonOntario(location and time TBD) – Katy Rittwage and company

Frankford/Trenton Ontario (TBA) – Lisa Kellar Young and company

Ottawa, Ontario(TBA) – Tania K, Gail Steeds and company

Toronto, Ontario at the Queens Street entrance of Trinity Bellwoods Park between 12 – 2 pm – Alicia Sales and company

Thompson Manitoba (TBA) – Adrian de Groot Sr., Kelly Hause, Katey Kirkwood, Sarah Blair

Flin Flon Manitoba – (TBA) – Tami White

Brandon Manitoba (TBA) – Carissa Rose Taylor, Michael de Groot, Deborah Asham

Altona Manitoba (TBA) – Kelly Skelton and company

Saskatoon Saskatchewan(TBA) – Pam Walby, Winston George Blake

Calgary– awaiting contact (feel free to suggest)
Vancouver– awaiting contact (feel free to suggest)

More locations would be great.

This post was shared by a fan of Life Vest Inside and a believer in kindness, Maria Lyka de la Fuente. Her post has touched me so deeply, I’m sure you will see why. Thank you Maria for opening your heart to the Life Vest Inside community and sharing your story; you are inspiration to me!

“I was born with a congenital heart disease, my heart has a hole on it that causes an irregular blood circulation. My childhood pretty much involved frequent heart check ups and tons of Church pray-overs.

When I grew a little older my cardiologists noticed that the hole actually got smaller! They “predicted” that it will close real soon and so my parents were relieved that my heart is already healed. I grew up being active in sports and in high school I wanted to join the C.A.T (Citizenship Advancement Training) which is a training program for Schools in the Philippines that aims to enhance the student’s social responsibility through active participation in community activities. This requires a certification from my doctors stating that I am physically fit to undergo the program.

I went to my Doctor to have a check up.To my surprise, the doctor found out that the hole actually got bigger and he advised me to undergo an urgent heart procedure that is very expensive, which costs almost half a million pesos! My parents were distraught for they didn’t know where to get that huge amount until, several relatives and friends offered their help! Some strangers even volunteered to give a hand ! A good friend of my Kindergarten teacher found out through Facebook that I needed several bags of blood for the procedure and she volunteered to donate blood! I was so touched by all the people who offered their helping hand without asking anything for return. This inspired me to pass on the acts of kindness that i experienced to children in orphanages where I celebrate my birthdays and joyfully give 100 of children a happy meal!
“What this world needs is a new kind of army – the army of the kind”
~Cleveland Amory

Maria is currently taking up B.S. Psychology in St.Paul University Quezon City and she is a member of several organizations that help contribute to social transformation. She believes that our world can be a better place if we start inspiring each and every person to move and take that very first step towards a kinder and more peaceful planet. 

“Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover”

We often hear this phrase, but do we actually live our lives by it? Do we give people a real chance to show us their true colors? Or do we simply judge people at first glance?

I’ve found that the greatest beauty in the world is the beauty that is hidden, the beauty that you have to search for.

Let’s think about this for a moment. A diamond, the most precious of jewels comes from dirt deep within the earth. This is no coincidence; this is a message to the heart and soul of every person. If a person dismissed the dirt as being inconsequential they may have at the same moment, cast aside a most precious diamond. So let’s begin to dig a bit deeper, and uncover the jewel within each person we come across.

A friend of Life Vest Inside shared this video with me and tears began streaming down my cheeks uncontrollably. I guarantee you will feel the same way. Why? Because we all know what it’s like to have people discourage us, judge us, cast us aside. We’ve all experienced it at some point in our lives. But deep in our hearts we know that we have so much to offer. How many times did you feel that if only people gave you the chance they would see all you have to offer. Unfortunately, the constant disappointment of people not betting on you makes you begin to lose faith in yourself in your talents, in your value.

But watching someone who at first sight was judged or ridiculed, rise above despite the cynical stares, nasty remarks – is truly heart warming, its inspiring and it ignites the belief that we too can rise above.

This message is for all of the dreamers out there who have a vision of doing great things: Never ever stop believing in yourself – you will climb your mountain, you will reach the top, regardless of the cynicism that may surround you, regardless of the negativity, regardless of the discouraging remarks. Just please never ever give up on yourselves; never ever give up on your dreams.

There will be times when you feel like calling it quits, questioning why you thought you could actually succeed; but you never know just how close to your dream you may be.

Watching this clip moved me in such an amazing way; it lifted my spirits and energized me. We all want people to bet on us, but until we begin to bet on ourselves no one will follow. Be proud of who you are, the beauty you have, your potential for greatness. You may be saying to yourself, what is she talking about – I don’t have any potential, I’ll never amount to anything, what can I do – but you couldn’t be further from the truth. If you are here, then there is something you can do that no one else can do regardless of how hard they try. You have a purpose and until you start loving yourself for who you are you may never see it. Find your inner voice, your inner beauty and let your true colors shine through – because that’s precisely what people will love most about you.

As the song goes: “Give us faith so we’ll be saved!” That’s the key! Faith! Belief! Without it – what’s left? If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect others to believe in you? Faith is the main reason for the person I am today and why I am so passionate about Life Vest Inside and reaching out to empower others. I’ve experienced many ups and downs in my life (experiences I will share with you over time) and I’ve been very close to giving up. The kindness of others will not always be the force to lift you out of the darkness. The truth is, the greatest source of strength will come from within you; when you look within and begin to bet on yourself.

I hope you enjoy this clip as much as I did. But more importantly, I hope that after you watch it you will see your world and the people in it with different eyes. Instead of looking at the exterior, begin looking at people for who they are inside. Everyone is special and unique in his or her own way – so get out there and begin to discover those amazing things that make them who they are! First step – discover the amazing things that make you who you are – there are more reasons than one to love yourself, start counting…

The more you respect yourself, love yourself, and acknowledge your beauty – the more you will begin to respect others, love others, and acknowledge their beauty.

Although I’ve heard the following story countless times it has always reminded of the great power of kindness. A friend recently sent it my way and I wanted to share it with you. I hope you enjoy it! Share your thoughts; I’d love to hear from you! Thanks Adele for reminding me of this wonderful story with a powerful message!

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied 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 flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

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 began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake

Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats.

Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst 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 exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man could not hear the band – he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, 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.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, ‘Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.’

A Lesson For All:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situation.

Although I’ve heard the following story countless times it has always reminded of the great power of kindness. A friend recently sent it my way and I wanted to share it with you. I hope you enjoy it! Share your thoughts; I’d love to hear from you! Thanks Adele for reminding me of this wonderful story with a powerful message!

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied 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 flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

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 began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake

Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats.

Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst 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 exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man could not hear the band – he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, 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.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

She said, ‘Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.

A Lesson For All: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situation.