Two Choices:
My question is:
My question is:
Would you have made the same choices?
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves
At a fundraising 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 its dedicated staff, he
offered a question:
'When not interfered with by outside influences,
everything nature does, is done with perfection.
'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
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, who was mentally and
physically disabled comes intothe world,
an opportunity to realize true human nature
presents itself, and it comes in the way other
presents itself, and it comes in the way other
people treat that child.'
Then he told the following story:
Shay and I had walked past a park where
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
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
some confidence to be accepted by others
in spite of his handicaps.
I approached one of the boys on the field and
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 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
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
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 ninth inning, Shay put on
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 I waved to him from the
stands.
In the bottom of the ninth inning,
stands.
In the bottom of the ninth inning,
Shay's team scored again..
Now, with two outs and the bases loaded,
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
At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and
give away their chance to win the game?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat.
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
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
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
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
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
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
Shay would have been out and that
would have been the end of the game.
Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right
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
Everyone from the stands and both
teams started yelling,
'Shay, run to first! Run to first!'
Never in his life had Shay ever run
'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,
He scampered down the baseline,
wide-eyed and startled. Everyone
yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'
Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly
Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly
ran towards second, gleaming and
struggling to make it to the base.
By the time Shay rounded towards
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
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
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 were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay,
all the Way Shay'
Shay reached third base because
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
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,
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
'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
bring a piece of true love and humanity
into this world'.
Shay didn't make it to another summer.
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!
A wise man once said that
A wise man once said that
every society is judged by how it
treats it's least fortunate amongst them.
"Society does not go down because of
treats it's least fortunate amongst them.
"Society does not go down because of
the activities of criminals,
But because of the inactivities of
But because of the inactivities of
the good people."
-Swami Vivekananda
-Swami Vivekananda
