You've probably seen this in your inbox before. True story or not, it's worth a read.
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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". When Shay
reached the second 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!
AND, NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY:
A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's
least fortunate amongst them.
