>>"Fall in love with what ever you are going to be doing for a
>>living. To get
>>out of bed in the morning and do what you love to do for the rest
>>of your
>>day is beyond words." - George Burns

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
>> >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
>> >(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. His Father watched with 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 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 his father so
>>happy,
>> >and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her
>>little hero of
>>the day!