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QuoteI checked my email and I got a forwarded message that touched my small, shrilved heart.
Two choices - What would you do?
You make the choice! Don't look for a punch line; there isn't one! Read it anyway. My question to all of you is: Would you have made the same choice?
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning
disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a
speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended.
After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a
question: "He cannot understand things as other children do.
Where is the natural order of things in my son?" The audience was
stilled by the query.
The father continued. "I believe that when a child like Shay,
physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity
to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other
people treat that child." Then he told the following story:
Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay
knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?"
Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on
their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play,
it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be
accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if
Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around for guidance and a
few boys nodded approval, why not? So he took matters into his own hands and
said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I
guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth
inning."
Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a
broad smile and his father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his
heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs
but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a
glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he
was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from
ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now,
with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and
Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat
and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the
bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even
know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as
Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing the other team
putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob
the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact.
The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The
pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As
the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right
back to the pitcher. The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the
soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman.
Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.
Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first
baseman,out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams
started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had
Shay ever ran that far but made it to first base. He scampered down the
baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to
second!" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming
and struggling to make it to second base.
By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had
the ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for
his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the
second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too
intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.
Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the
bases toward home.
All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay" Shay
reached third base, the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him in the
direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third"
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on
their feet were screaming, "Shay, run home!" Shay ran to home, stepped on the
plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the
game for his team.
"That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his
face, "The boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and
humanity into this world." Shay didn't make it to another summer and died
that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father
so happy and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully embrace her little
hero of the day!
