May your day be a Shay Day
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:11 pm
Tam's niece forwarded this great story to our email today (sorry it doesn't print here in the format in which it was sent):
> 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 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.>> 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, who was> mentally and physically disabled 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 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 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.>> 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 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 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 I> 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 me so happy, and coming home and> seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!>> AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO THIS STORY:>> We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail 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 it's least> fortunate amongst them.>> You now have two choices:>> 1. Delete>> 2. Forward>> May your day, be a Shay Day.>
> 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 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.>> 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, who was> mentally and physically disabled 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 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 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.>> 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 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 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 I> 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 me so happy, and coming home and> seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!>> AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO THIS STORY:>> We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail 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 it's least> fortunate amongst them.>> You now have two choices:>> 1. Delete>> 2. Forward>> May your day, be a Shay Day.>
Thanks for posting it.