What would you do?
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 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. Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could
play.
The boy looked around for guidance and, getting none, he took matters into his own hands 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."
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 outfield. 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, 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 'cause 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 moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly
so Shay could at least be able to 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 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 took the ball and turned and threw the ball on a high arc to right field, far
beyond the reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!"
Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed
and startled.
Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
By the time Shay rounded first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to
the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and intentionally threw
the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward second base as the runners
ahead of him deliriously circled the bases toward home.
Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third
base, and shouted, "Run to third!"
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming, "Shay, 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."
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 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. Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could
play.
The boy looked around for guidance and, getting none, he took matters into his own hands 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."
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 outfield. 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, 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 'cause 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 moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly
so Shay could at least be able to 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 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 took the ball and turned and threw the ball on a high arc to right field, far
beyond the reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!"
Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed
and startled.
Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
By the time Shay rounded first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to
the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and intentionally threw
the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward second base as the runners
ahead of him deliriously circled the bases toward home.
Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third
base, and shouted, "Run to third!"
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming, "Shay, 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."
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