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WORLD ROUND UP-29 August 2013
WORLD ROUND UP-29 AUGUST 2013



 





 “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure. ”    


VBA's Positive News


US: Close friend of King reveals famed speech almost didn't include 'I have a dream'

Clarence Jones was sitting 50 feet behind his boss, Dr Martin Luther King Jr, on the brilliant, sunny day in 1963 when King delivered the speech that would forever change the course of race relations in the United States. Now, 50 years later, Jones recalls how the words 'I have a dream,' were not written in the text that King prepared and began to read that day. Mr Jones, who was King's lawyer, speechwriter, and confidant, said the first seven were as he had written them. Then came the change in script. King was a Baptist preacher with a stirring and charismatic speaking style. 'He moves the text of the speech to the left side of the lectern, grabs the lectern, looks out on those more than 250,000 people assembled, and thereafter begins to speak completely spontaneously and extemporaneously. Everything thereafter was spontaneous,' he said. 'That was the 'I have a dream' speech.' From that moment on, King's cadence changed as sentences and ideas built on one another to reach powerful crescendos. Jones, who is the author of two books about King, teaches at both Stanford University and the University of San Francisco.       

US: On anniversary of King's 'Dream' speech, bells to ring for freedom 

An address by President Barack Obama and nationwide bell-ringing will cap celebrations on Wednesday marking the 50th anniversary of civil rights leader Martin Luther King's landmark 'I have a dream' speech. President Obama will speak during the commemoration on the steps of Washington's Lincoln Memorial, the site of King's address on 28 August 1963, the White House said. The Lincoln Memorial ceremony will include bell-ringing at 3 pm EDT (1900 GMT), 50 years to the minute after King ended his call for racial and economic justice with the words 'let freedom ring.' President Obama's address will wrap up more than a week of Washington events marking the 50th anniversary of King's address.    

Australia: Intensive programme helps refugee students adjust to new lives

One of Australia's oldest public schools is running an intensive education programme for refugee students and we meet some of the participants along with the special teacher in charge.

Malaysia bestows Lifetime Award on former President Nelson Mandela

Former South African President Nelson Mandela has become the first recipient of the Lifetime Award for Global Peace from the Mahathir Global Peace Foundation in Malaysia. The award was accepted by South Africa's President Jacob Zuma on Mr Mandela's behalf. President Zuma is on an official visit to Malaysia.      





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World Round-Up 


Political
Narendra Modi to hold mega rallies across the country eyeing 2014 Lok Sabha polls


 

 

 

 

His eyes trained firmly on Delhi, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is scaling up his campaign as the general election inches closer. Pulling out all stops to make the BJP's Mission 272-plus a reality - which is vital to his prime ministerial dream - Modi will hold mega rallies across the country in the next two months.

Coming up first is his rally in Jaipur on September 10, where he will address a gathering at the conclusion of the 'Suraaj Sankalp Yatra' undertaken by former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje. This will be followed by a rally at Rewari in Haryana on September 15 and the Hunkar rally at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna on October 27.

Buoyed by the success of Modi's rally in Hyderabad on August 11, the BJP has planned more rallies and public campaigns in south India. The Gujarat CM is likely to address a youth conference in Tamil Nadu on September 26. The placer and other arrangements for the conference are yet to be finalised, though.

Campaign spree

The BJP clearly feels it has found a trump card in Modi and that he is the party's best bet for a shot at power at the Centre.

Explaining the rally overdrive of the BJP's election campaign committee chairman, party president Rajnath Singh told Mail Today that Modi "is the most popular leader and will benefit party's poll prospects". In what was clearly a counter to the Congress's constant refrain that Modi's communal past makes him unfit for the country's top job, Rajnath said: "If the country can have a prime minister who hasn't administered even a district, then why not Modi? At least he has the longest experience as a chief minister." In Uttar Pradesh, which has the biggest number of Lok Sabha seats, Modi will begin his campaign in big way after October 31.

His confidante Amit Shah is already in the state, having been assigned the task to win maximum seats for the party.

Bihar, too, is of special interest, not only because it has 40 seats but also in view of the BJP's bitter fight with former ally, the Janata Dal-United.

Rajnath said "the party will leave no stone unturned to improve its seats tally in Bihar and UP", underlining how important the two heartland states were for the party.

While Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar managed to keep Modi out of the state even when his party was in alliance with the BJP, the Gujarat CM's presence at the Hunkar rally will be a direct challenge to him. The BJP's state unit is banking on Modi's charisma to cut into Nitish's mass appeal - and vote bank.

Modi is also reaching out to farmers through his Vibrant Gujarat Global Agriculture Summit. The event, scheduled to take place in Gandhinagar between September 9 and 11, is expected to be attended by more than 3,000 farmers from all over the country.


Astrology


 

Aries March 21 to April 19
If an important financial transaction is on your agenda, take your time to go over the details and prepare yourself for adjustments. Rushing will only prolong the process because you likely will make simple but important mistakes. Your analysis needn't be perfect right now, so you can relax. Your prudence will give you an important jump-start. You'll want to keep focused and take your preparation seriously. Fine-tuning the details today will bring long-lasting results.                              

 

Taurus April 20 to May 20
Take special note of today's small inspirations, because they could easily become promising ideas. With pure intentions, you may impress your boss with a creative solution for improving customer service. Don't be surprised if you get the reins to put your solution to the test. With a cheerful spirit, you'll easily get the assistance you need to pull it off. If self employed, VIP clients will support your personal brand and take pride in helping you reach your potential. The quality of your service will be recognized.                            

 

Gemini May 21 to June 20
geminiCatching up on phone calls, emails, and paperwork will be wonderful ways to channel your excess energy. It may be a good day to work from home, if you can. You likely will complete a variety of tasks with laser-sharp precision. If you want to work from home on a long-term basis, you may soon get the opportunity. For practice, you can clear out your own special workspace for tasks that demand serious concentration to see how it feels. A tidy home could bless you with a focused mind.       

 

Cancer June 21 to July 22 
The wordsmith in you is likely to blossom, particularly with a long-range creative endeavor, a serious romance, or your children. You can take your time to process your thoughts because your opinions will be easily accepted and appreciated. Calmly clear the air by simply stating what's on your mind. If a romantic commitment is heavy on your heart, your logic will serve you well. Your partner will gain respect for you when you can show you have your facts straight.                         

 

Leo July 23 to Aug. 22 
leoYour ruler, the Sun, is preparing to make a good impression on Saturn, and it looks like Saturn will indeed take notice. You likely will have a window of opportunity for a real estate venture or family matter. If you can show that your budget is finely calculated, you'll likely succeed. You may have to address a concern with your home, or a family responsibility may need extra attention. If money is involved, you'll have the funds available to make solid progress.                  

 

 







BUSINESS+VE                                                                             
 

 

Opening bank will help Reliance Capital pare debt: Anil Ambani


 

 

Mumbai: Reliance Capital Ltd is in a strong position to be given a banking permit by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and if it comes about, the move will help the company slash its debt, chairman Anil Ambani told shareholders at its annual meeting on Tuesday.


If the company starts a bank, likely to be called Reliance Bank, its entire commercial finance portfolio and associated debt will be shifted to the new entity, Ambani said. The company already has partnerships with Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank Ltd and Nippon Life Insurance Co., he added.


In February, RBI invited companies to apply for licences to set up new banks, prompting responses from 26 entities, including industrial houses like the Reliance Group and non-banking finance companies.


Reliance Capital had earlier announced that it would give stakes of up to 5% each to Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank and Nippon Life Insurance if it was allowed to set up a bank.
As a result, the consolidated net debt of the non-banking financial company will drop to Rs.5,000 crore from Rs.20,000 crore now. Reliance Capital’s debt-to-equity ratio will then improve to 0.5 from 1.7, which will enable it to focus profitably on businesses such as life and general insurance, and asset management.


Santosh Singh, financial sector analyst at Espirito Santo Securities said that the debt book of the commercial finance business was never a cause of concern for Reliance Capital since that money was being lent onwards (using bank loans to extend credit to others) and was earning returns. “A consumer finance business always has a leverage of six to seven times its assets. There is nothing extraordinary in this,” Singh said.

 

Reliance Capital also wants to grow its health insurance business at a faster clip to tap into the huge potential in the sector. It is looking for a partner with technical expertise in health cover, Ambani said in the meeting Among Reliance Capital’s non-banking business, the firm has decided to sharpen focus on the health insurance business which has reported losses over the years.


“In the initial years that problem was that Reliance Capital undercut the market by pricing health insurance products lower than risk,” Singh said, adding, “But they have solved all these issues and the current team overseeing the health insurance business at Reliance Capital is of top quality that has helped set up a successful health insurance venture in the past.”


Ambani also told Reliance Capital shareholders that it expected to finalize a wind power joint venture in India with China’s Min Yang Wind Power Group shortly and that it would invest Rs.100 crore in it.


Apart from Reliance Capital, three other Reliance Group companies—Reliance Power Ltd (R-Power), Reliance Communications Ltd (R-Com), and Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (R-Infra)—also held their annual shareholder meetings on Tuesday.


Speaking at R-Com’s shareholder, Gurdeep Singh, president of the company’s wireless business told shareholders that through a combination of sales and marketing strategies, R-Com was aiming for a 30% share of smartphone users in India.

 

 
HEALTH+VE                                                             
 

 

How yoga keeps you fit and healthy




 

 

 

Everything we do calls for stress and constant running around. In the middle of all this chaos, yoga is a great way to connect with your inner self and stay healthy at the same time.
Through its deep breathing, stretching, mindful exercise, yoga is also an effective method to keep most stress-related diseases at bay. In fact, no matter what your lifestyle, you could learn a thing or two from this ancient exercise form that benefits your mind and body, both. Here's looking at why yoga is meant for people of all shapes and sizes...yes, even you!

Yoga helps combat stress. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that yoga has a positive impact on various kinds of neurological disorders. Their findings suggest that yoga might help patients in fighting with the symptoms of neurological disorders such as acute headache, psychological depression and so on. Published in the journal of Psychosomatic Medicine, this study revealed that women, even beginners, who practice hatha yoga may boost happy hormones by diminishing stress levels.

Yoga helps asthma patients. According to a research study presented at the 56th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in Seattle, adults who suffered from asthma experienced "increased quality of life and reduced asthma symptoms after 10 weeks of yoga practice".

Yoga helps in battling weight loss in middle age. While on the one hand yoga helps increase strenght and flexibility, it also helps with weight loss when you reach middle age, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle. Researchers studied that people who are overweight in their middle age and who practised yoga daily for over a decade lost considerable amount of weight.

Yoga even helps cancer patients fight fatigue. Cancer survivors who practice yoga are able to sleep better and fight fatigue more efficiently, according to a recent study. Yoga helps reduce stress levels and boosts the immune system. Thus yoga forms like hath yoga are increasingly recommended to all cancer survivors, combined with restorative breathing exercises to help improve their sleep patterns.

Tips for Starting Yoga. We recommend a few things to keep in mind: Go for a style that suits your body type: Yoga classes and asanas may differ for people with different body types. Some may only focus on meditation and deep breathing, whereas others might focus on rigorous and strenuous yoga moves. You and your body type are unique: Understand this: Yoga is not only about flexibility. Don't try and idealise images and postures as presented in glossy health magazines. Those are people who have attained this kind of flexibility after years of practice and fitness routine. Go at your own pace.

Maintain your own pace: There is no need to rush into any kind of asana or yoga pose too soon. Use straps, blocks or other tools to suit your needs and requirements. Ask your yoga instructor for help and make sure you take adequate rest and proper precautions. Listen to your body: Don't force yourself into any of the asana. Try and read your body signals and stop when you think you can't take it anymore.

The right way of incorporating yoga in your daily workout routine. Depending on what your needs are, you can choose a yoga routine that works for you or you could participate in a host of workout activities at a time. The best way to go about overall fitness will be to do weight training for strength, circuits/rope jumping/sprinting/kickboxing for cardio fitness and Yoga for flexibility.     

 

 


 

 

Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22 
A careful analysis for a pending negotiation can groom you for important responsibilities. You'll want to make sure the agreement makes just as much sense in real life as it does on paper. Gentle yoga, in the comfort of your home, would be a wonderful way to relax. Now that the Sun is in Virgo, you'll be more receptive to healthy habits. You'll also have increased confidence in your mental prowess. Your talent for making important distinctions will lead you in your rightful direction.  

                           

Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
Steady earning potential could be yours if you pursue a behind-the-scenes work project with financial shrewdness. If there's a habit you've wanted to break, such as late-night cocktails or oversleeping, today would be good day to gently ask yourself how you could make a lasting improvement. If you're serious about this, you're likely to take a solid step toward a solution. Quality rest would be a good remedy for you and could help you jump-start a healthier routine.          

 


Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
Scorpio
Your intelligent decisions today may bring you solid opportunities tomorrow. This is because the Sun is preparing to shake hands with Saturn, now in Scorpio. Time will be well spent with influential allies who appreciate your quirks but also care about you being your best. They'll make sure you have no spinach in your teeth-and today, that will matter. A collective endeavor with your job could bring an opportunity for leadership that can ground your focus in a powerful way. 

 


Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
Now that Mars is in Leo, you can build your confidence by stretching your mind and challenging your physical stamina. If you capitalize your opportunities to show off your intelligence, doors could open for you. A more secure career opportunity likely will be on the horizon for you, if you're willing to look. With an industrious spirit, your special dedication to service can make your professionalism sparkle right in front of the perfect person. .

                                          

Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
capricon.jpgIf you can imagine your mind as your body and feed it with the most nutritious information, your brainpower can tackle grand-scale projects with simplicity and precision. Your employer could give you an international work project that could open up wonderful doors for you. You may need to learn something new, so study with an open mind. A flexible, logical outlook can offer you longevity within well-established networks, and gracefully move you through the right doors.  

      


Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18 
aquarius.jpg A professional venture that requires financial assistance likely will be in the works, and today you may want to look into its long-term potential. A spiritual checkup could do wonders if you test the health of a deep commitment to your passion. Your destiny likely will patiently wait for you, but you may need to dust yourself off to get on the right foot. Today, you can build your inner muscles to make an important step toward your higher path.   


Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20 
If you find yourself ironing out the details for a long-term success strategy, you may realize two heads are better than one. Your co-workers are likely to bring up many details you never considered, which will undoubtedly make you more efficient in your planning. A personal assistant may be influential in helping you prepare for an important business trip. Extra work may be easily managed with selfless cooperation. If you need assistance, let it be known, and your day will be lighter and more productive.             


 

 Moral Story  

 




SMS

 

 

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”   

 

 


 

LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

 

 

 

Love--that divine fire which was made to light and warm the temple of home--sometimes burns at unholy altars.

 


 

LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS

 

 

 

 The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men, the conviction and the will to carry on.
 


 


 

 


SANTA went to court

JUDGE:

"Order ! Order !"

SANTA:

"1 Pizza, 2 Dosa, 3 Idli & 1 Cold-drink !"

JUDGE:

"Shut Up !"

SANTA:"No,No..7-Up!





 
EDUCATION +VE

Book publishers to train CBSE teachers in Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation

 

 

 

 

 

NAGPUR: A national book publishing company, whose sales and marketing operations are headquartered in Nagpur, has been selected by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to conduct training seminars on Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE).

S Chand & Company has been empanelled by CBSE to conduct these trainings across the country and coordinate with the board to integrate updates in CCE. The company's core business is publishing with a focus on educational books. This empanelment makes them one of the handful agencies authorized to train teachers.

Bhagirath Kaushik, vice-president (sales and marketing) of the company, says their background in educational books gives them a strong foundation due which the central board selected them.

 

"For the last 70 years, we have been publishing books that have empowered education and the learning community. This gives us a deep understanding of educational initiatives and developments. We work closely with schools understanding their requirements and have a wide pool of authors, subject experts, resource persons and trainers."

The well-known Delhi-based company runs its entire revenue generating operations from Nagpur. Kaushik says CCE training schedule it has prepared has been professionally planned.

 

"We conduct a six-hour collaborative and interactive training session in which all the material has been developed as per the CBSE guidelines under their supervision. Our resource persons have a deep understanding of classroom and school transactions and requirements," he adds.

These trainings have been made mandatory for every school with CBSE saying teachers must have at least a week's training every year. Kaushik says, "Most schools and teachers know the different elements of CCE and its requirements but face difficulties in following them efficiently. Teachers often struggle while coping with record keeping, completing syllabus, maintaining students' involvement and staying updated with the latest changes in CCE."

These changes require training so that teachers are aware of the latest practices. Since its inception in 2009, the CCE has undergone various changes towards becoming a holistic process. The scheme is applicable only to Std IX and X has also been criticized the excessive paperwork teachers need to do. A teacher says, "It is good that teachers will be getting training because we need to know how to implement this. There are lot of activities to be done every three months. It seems some or the other rule keeps changing. It will be good to devise a strategy wherein we can implement the changes without disturbing our schedule."


SPORTS +VE

Federer moves into US Open second round 

 

 

 

 

NEW YORK: Roger Federer made a solid start to his bid for an 18th Grand Slam title, advancing to the second round of the US Open by defeating Slovenia's Grega Zemlja 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old Swiss star, who as the seventh seed is at his lowest spot in the US Open since 2002, won a match postponed by rain from Monday night to book a last-64 meeting with Argentina's Carlos Berlocq.

"I felt great," Federer said. "Day session or night session it doesn't really matter when you play on Arthur Ashe Court."

Federer, whose 56th Grand Slam start in a row matched Wayne Ferreira for the all-time record run, has only one title in his past 14 Slam starts, that coming last year at Wimbledon.

After a second-round exit at Wimbledon, his earliest Grand Slam ouster since winning his first Slam title in 2003 at the All England Club, Federer needed only 93 minutes to eliminate Zemlja despite surrendering a third-set break.

"You're going to have some hiccups like I had today. It was a minor one," Federer said. "I might have had more confidence if I had closed it out without that. This way I had to fight a bit more. Who knows? Maybe that gives me confidence too."

Federer, who won five US Open titles in a row from 2004-2008, has not made the championship match on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts since losing to Juan Martin Del Potro in the 2009 final.

This year, Federer is on a quarter-final collision course with second seed Rafael Nadal, whom he has never faced at the US Open.

World number one Novak Djokovic, a six-time Grand Slam champion who captured his fourth Australian Open crown in January, launches his quest for a fourth consecutive US Open final later when he faces Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis.

Also starting later will be two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka, who faces German Dinah Pfizenmaier. The second seed from Belarus lost to world number one Serena Williams in last year's US Open final.

Canadian 10th seed Milos Raonic fired 28 aces in beating Italy's Thomas Fabbiano 6-3, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3, while fellow big server John Isner blasted 16 aces to down Italy's Filippo Volandri 6-0, 6-2, 6-3.

Raonic, 22, is confident he can reach his first Slam quarter-final from a section of the draw that features Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer and French eighth seed Richard Gasquet.

"I think I can put myself in that position," Raonic said. "I just have to make the opportunities and convert them. If I play well, I can get very close if not do it. I think I can get much better."

Two other 22-year-olds in the top 25 were ousted. Argentine qualifier Maximo Gonzalez upset Polish 14th seed Jerzy Janowicz 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 as the Wimbledon semi-finalist struggled with back pain and Bulgarian 25th seed Grigor Dimitrov, Russian star Maria Sharapova's boyfriend, lost to Portugal's Joao Sousa 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

Czech seventh seed Petra Kvitova, the 2011 Wimbledon winner, and 2009 US Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki withstood challenges from tenacious Asian rivals to advance.

Kvitova, the top-ranked rival in Azarenka's quarter of the draw, fought off Japan's 92nd-ranked Misaki Doi 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 while Danish sixth seed Wozniacki dispatched 133rd-ranked Chinese qualifier Duan Ying-Ying 6-2, 7-5.

Duan made 46 unforced errors but kept pressure on Wozniacki, who battled to avoid a repeat of last year's US Open first round ouster while boyfriend Rory McIlroy, a two-time major golf champion, watched from the stands.

"She got a little tight at the end and I got a bit lucky as well," Wozniacki said. "I just kept my focus and kept fighting for every point. It was a day of survival. It was not about being pretty. It was about getting the job done."

Doi, a 22-year-old left-hander whose only prior US Open appearance ended in a 2011 first-round cramping retirement, tested Kvitova in breezy conditions.

"I didn't play my game all the match," Kvitova said. "I didn't have focus. I have to have more confidence."

The US Open is the only Grand Slam event where Kvitova, who next plays Serb Bojana Jovanovski, has not reached the semi-finals.

"I like Wimbledon, which is very calm," Kvitova said. "Here it's more crowd and big show. I like matches on the big stadium too but the people are everywhere. It's too much crowd."

Serb 13th seed Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 French Open winner, beat Georgian Anna Tatishvili 6-2, 6-0 in 58 minutes. She faces Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru next..



 


 

Zanjeer  


  Zanjeer 

Movie Name :   Zanjeer   

Release Date :  September 6, 2013

Genre :  Action, Thriller

Producer : Reliance Entertainment, Puneet Prakash Mehra (Hindi) ,Sumeet Prakash Mehra (Hindi), Amit Mehra (Telugu), Flying Turtle Films

Director :  Apoorva Lakhia

Music Director : Anand Raj Anand, Meet Bros Anjjan, Chirantan Bhatt

Cast : Ram Charan, Priyanka Chopra, Sanjay Dutt (Hindi), Srihari (Telugu), Prakash Raj, Mahi Gill, Ankur Bhatia, Atul Kulkarni , Tanikella Bharani (Telugu)

 

Synopsis:


Zanjeer (English: Shackles; titled Toofan  in Telugu) is an upcoming Indian action film directed by Apoorva Lakhia, shot simultaneously in Hindi  and Telugu. The film marks the Bollywood debut of popular Tollywood actor Ram Charan in the lead role along with Priyanka Chopra. Prakash Raj joins the cast after success in Hindi films, like Wanted, Singham, and Dabangg 2.  It is a remake of the 1973 Hindi film of the same name. The Hindi version of the film is to be dubbed in Chinese as Chialo Kaxlaug. The Telugu version of the film is to be dubbed in Tamil and Malayalam. The release date is scheduled for September 6, 2013

Zanjeer in USA by BlueSky.  The first look and official theatrical trailer of Toofan (Telugu version) have been launched by Reliance Entertainment on its YouTube Official Channel on 25 March 2013 to rave public response, featuring Ram Charan, Priyanka Chopra, Prakash Raj and Srihari. Ram Charan's Toofan First Look Trailers and Wallpapers have been released on March 25, 2013

The First look and theatrical trailer of Zanjeer (Hindi version) was released on 4 July 2013. The dubbing process started from 26 March 2013, where Sanjay Dutt plays the role essayed by Srihari. Sanjay Dutt finishes Zanjeer filming - with only a few days left at his disposal before he returns to jail.

The Telugu version of the film is titled Toofan and is in Post Production stage.  The director planned in for a 25-day schedule in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh from November 14 to December 5, 2012. Priyanka Chopra joined the shooting, her first schedule for this film.  It was reported that Ram Charan has done some risky stunts for Zanjeer.

 

 

 





The dot over the letter "i" is called a tittle.


INSPIRING STORY "


 

  Hospital window 


 

 

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 detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

 

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’s eye as the gentleman by th! e window portrayed it with descriptive words.



Days and weeks 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 beside 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.”  

 

 







 “Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door. ”    
 

 

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