Guest guest Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 > 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 is: Would you have made > the same > choice? > > > > At > a fund raising dinner for a > school that serves > children with learning > disabilities, 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: > > 'When not interfered with by > outside influences, everything > nature does, is done with > perfection. > > Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn > things as other children do. > 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, who was mentally and > physically disabled > 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 I had walked > past a park where some boys > Shay knew were playing > baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you > think they'll let me > play?' I knew that most of the > boys would not want > someone like Shay on their > team, but as a > father I > also understood that if my > 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. > > I > approached one of the boys on the > field and asked (not > expecting much) if Shay could > play. The boy looked > around for guidance 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 and, with a > broad smile, put on a > team shirt. I watched with a small > tear in my eye > and warmth in my heart. The > boys saw my joy at my > 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 I 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 because > 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 that the > other team was 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 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. > 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 first > baseman's head, 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 run > that far, but he 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 the base. > > By the time Shay rounded > towards second base, the right > fielder had the ball . > The smallest guy on their > team who now had his > first chance to be the hero for > his > team. > > He could have thrown the ball to the > second-baseman for the tag, > but he understood the > pitcher's intentions so 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 because the opposing > shortstop ran to > help him by turning 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 the > spectators, were on their feet > screaming, 'Shay, run > home! 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. He died > that winter, having > never forgotten being the hero > and making me so > happy, and coming home and seeing > his Mother tearfully > embrace her little hero of > the day! > > AND NOW > A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO THIS STORY: > > We all send > thousands of jokes through the > e-mail without a > second thought, but when it > comes to sending > messages about life choices, > people > hesitate. > > The crude, vulgar, and often obscene > pass freely through > cyberspace, but public > discussion about decency is too > often suppressed > in our schools and > workplaces. > > > > If > you're thinking about > forwarding this message, > chances are that you're > probably sorting out the people > in your address book who aren't > the 'appropriate' > ones to receive this type of > message Well, the person > who sent you this believes > that we all can make a > > difference. > > We > all have thousands of > opportunities every single > day to help realize the > 'natural order of > things.' > > So many seemingly trivial interactions > between two people present us with > a choice: > > Do > we pass along a little spark > of love and humanity > or do we pass up those > opportunities and leave the > world a little bit colder in the > process? > > A wise > man once said, every society is > judged by how it treats > it's least fortunate amongst > them. > > You now have > two choices: > > 1. Delete > > 2. > > Forward > > May > your day, be a Shay > Day. > > Love........ > > > > > > > > > > > > . > > > Disclaimer and Confidentiality Clause > > " This email and the files attached therewith (if any) > is / are confidential and intended solely for the use of the > individual or entity > to whom they are addressed to and may contain confidential > and/or legally privileged information and unauthorized > disclosure, copying > or use of this information may be unlawful and is > prohibited. Even if you have received this email and the > files attached therewith > (if any) by mistake, you are bound to confidentiality and > requested to notify the sender forthwith. The recipient > should check this > email and the files attached therewith (if any) for the > presence of viruses (if any). The sender and the company > accepts no liability > and shall not be held responsible for any damage etc. which > may have been caused by any information exchanged through > this email. " > > > > -----Inline Attachment Follows----- > > ------------------------------- > UT Limited, Chandannagar, Maheshtalla, India > Sent using PostMaster by QuantumLink Communications Pvt > Ltd > Get your free copy of PostMaster at http://www.postmaster.co.in/ Cricket on your mind? Visit the ultimate cricket website. Enter http://beta.cricket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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