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A Good one.without any punchlines.....

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by Shanvy, Sep 21, 2007.

  1. Shanvy

    Shanvy IL Hall of Fame

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    My question is: Ask yourself ,"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:

    "Its proclaimed by all that when not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection.. and 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!
     
    sindmani likes this.
  2. GayathriSundar

    GayathriSundar Senior IL'ite

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    Shanvy,
    Well frankly I might not have made the same choice - as the cynical adult I am. But as a child I would have acted like the boys from the two teams.

    Children work their miracles in beautiful and unexpected ways.

    Nice article.

    Regards
    Gayathri
    PS. Love your signature.
     
  3. Sriniketan

    Sriniketan IL Hall of Fame

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    A very nice article which tests the humane feelings in us and makes us ask the question you putforth on the very first line.
    I think this incident reminds us once again that every human being must have the tendency, the boys of both the teams had,in helping the needy person to have that self-esteem and pride, that, they can also achieve.
    Good one, Shanthi.
    Sriniketan
     
    sindmani likes this.
  4. Shanvy

    Shanvy IL Hall of Fame

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    Gayathri,

    Yes. even today i take out time to just bring a smile on a person like shay when i meet one....but i also have seen parents scared by my action..:mad:

    Yes children do work their miracles.....


    and my signature is a hugh prather quote...i love all his quotes......another one i love...“To live for results would be to sentence myself to continuous frustration. My only sure reward is in my actions and not from them" hope you like this one also....:-D
     
  5. Shanvy

    Shanvy IL Hall of Fame

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    hi srinekatan,
    Thanks... i agree...and believe...we can make a difference in the life of these needy people......

    A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate among them!!!!
     
  6. sunkan

    sunkan Gold IL'ite

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  7. Vysan

    Vysan Gold IL'ite

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    Dear Shan,

    Great story.....

    I still remember the days when I used to play cricket with my friend whose both legs were polio attacked.... It used to be highly competitive.... We used to enjoy it...

    Veda
     

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