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 fundraising 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.
>> >
>> > B y 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.

Now that was one touching story, thank you for sharing it. WOW.

All I can say is WOW. There are a few kids left out there that were raised right.

i agree. WOW. trully a touching story. we should all do what's right in this world by others!!