Ray S S
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We just got home from a camping trip in northern michigan. The following is one of the emails we got
while we were gone. It is so good that I want to share it with everyone. I copied it word for word and
it is as follows:
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 it's dedicated staff, he offered a question.
'When not interferred 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.
What is the natural order of things in my son?
The audience was stilled by his query.
The father continued, 'I believe that when a child, like Shay, who was mentally and psysically disabled
comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and 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 the eighth inning. I
guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the nineth 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 nineth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in 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 nineth 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. Everybody knew that a hit was all but impossable because Shay
didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less than connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognising 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 foreward to toss the ball softly to 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 easily have 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 the
players.
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 toward 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 their team.
He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's
intentions, so he, too threw the ball high 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 ran to third. As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and the spectaters 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 the 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.
Have a great day.
Ray
while we were gone. It is so good that I want to share it with everyone. I copied it word for word and
it is as follows:
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 it's dedicated staff, he offered a question.
'When not interferred 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.
What is the natural order of things in my son?
The audience was stilled by his query.
The father continued, 'I believe that when a child, like Shay, who was mentally and psysically disabled
comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and 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 the eighth inning. I
guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the nineth 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 nineth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in 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 nineth 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. Everybody knew that a hit was all but impossable because Shay
didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less than connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognising 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 foreward to toss the ball softly to 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 easily have 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 the
players.
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 toward 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 their team.
He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's
intentions, so he, too threw the ball high 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 ran to third. As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and the spectaters 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 the 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.
Have a great day.
Ray
