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>>"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!
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