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:
"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,
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
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, all the Way!"
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 died that winter, so never saw another game, but he died
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!
