CJ Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I wouldn't normally have posted anything like this but I received this email (copied below) and it really struck a chord due to personal circumstances. Now, whether it is true or not was immaterial to me. What made it more powerful was that I had been there before and witnessed this type of situation first hand with differing results and could therefore relate to the alleged speaker. "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathew Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 quite moving. but out of curriosity what was the email for in the first place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifty Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 nice story heard it before I think y'know there are lots of nice folk, adults and kids around and thankfully all in all they balance out the scum of the world. Sad thing is the media seldom report on good things only bad Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 quite moving. but out of curriosity what was the email for in the first place? Well, the part I took out said: Two Choices 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? (Then the body of the email) A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY: We all forward e-mailed jokes without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people hesitate. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene, pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces. If you're thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that you're probably sorting out the people in your address book who aren't the "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message. Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference. We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the "natural order of things." So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process? A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats the least fortunate in its midst. So, in a way, it was almost like a chain letter thing but with a difference. It just struck a chord with me so I posted it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 nice story heard it before I think y'know there are lots of nice folk, adults and kids around and thankfully all in all they balance out the scum of the world. Sad thing is the media seldom report on good things only bad Rich That's my thoughts too Rich. And sadly, I am one of the people who rarely posts anything up that resembles the nice things but regularly post up moaning about the shit things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifty Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I rarely do as well; I remeber my days surrounded by poverty in Zambia, where a kids toy was an old tyre or a small wire bike. we have lost sense of value and with it humanity Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 What a nice piece to read, thanks for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2JG Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 very moving story, brought a little tear to my eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 My story of niceness is a little shorter: Today I helped an old lady in a motorised wheel chair by buying her a newspaper from the shop she couldn't get in to. She was very grateful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 My story of niceness is a little shorter: Today I helped an old lady in a motorised wheel chair by buying her a newspaper from the shop she couldn't get in to. She was very grateful. Well done that man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous brain Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 OK I don't have a woosy tear in my eye at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n00b Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 a changed a wheel for a girl at work yesterday in my lunchbreak.... but that was for personal gains me thinks hehe n00b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobSheffield Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 OK I don't have a woosy tear in my eye at all Im a bit choked but thanks for telling that one CJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethr Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Probably a true story...... (not that it really matters) http://www.snopes.com/glurge/chush.asp Origins: The story quoted above is "Perfection at the Plate," a work of Rabbi Paysach Krohn which appeared in his 1999 book, Echoes of the Maggid. Echoes is a "Chicken Soup for the Soul" type work, described by its publishers as "heartwarming stories and parables of wisdom and inspiration." It is the fifth such tome in the Maggid series. Rabbi Krohn says that the story is true and that he was told it by Shaya's father, who is a friend of his. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Walker Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 That nearly had me crying at work today CJ, had people ask me what was wrong Gaz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 That nearly had me crying at work today CJ, had people ask me what was wrong Gaz. Same here old mate. It's great that we can still feel like that about good stuff eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat_controller Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 jesus, that got me well choked up, if i was alone in my frontroom i probably woulda been in tears. very moving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Class One Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 It's nice to know a little piece of goodness can keep you optimistic in this shite old world we live in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Very moving! Sometimes I think this forum i like a tiny micrososm of modern living. In our world Gamer (Joe) is that little disabled boy and Suprachargedtt (James) is the baseball teams. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Posted March 17, 2007 Author Share Posted March 17, 2007 Very moving! Sometimes I think this forum i like a tiny micrososm of modern living. In our world Gamer (Joe) is that little disabled boy and Suprachargedtt (James) is the baseball teams. :) I'm not too sure Joe would approve of the analogy, but I see what you are getting at! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stupra Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Unfortunately not many things make me see the good side of humanity, this does, very moving read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamer Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Very moving! Sometimes I think this forum i like a tiny micrososm of modern living. In our world Gamer (Joe) is that little disabled boy and Suprachargedtt (James) is the baseball teams. :) I'm not too sure Joe would approve of the analogy, but I see what you are getting at! Hey, I am not handicapped, at least not physically. Just goes to show you that not all Americans are heartless. I say this because the story is clearly set in the States. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraStar 3000 Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I knew Joe could see the funny side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEERSHZ Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 that choked m up too and reminded me of the day my son made me the proudest mum theres a young lady live near us with downs in the summer all the kids often played rounders on the green this particular day my son went and knocked on her door and asked if she could join in, she'd never been included before her mum let her come out just like the little boy she couldnt hit the ball like the others but it didnt matter ive never seen a child so happy and too this day she's never been left out of anything he does if he can include her she's now 21 and my son is 15. there is good in alot of kids out there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Geneb Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Nice reading there col makes you think on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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