Two Choices

[Morning Glory]

Subject: 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 to all of you is: 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:

"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 if Shay could play, not expecting much. 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 put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had 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 '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, recognizing the other team 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 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 game would now be over, but 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 head of the first baseman, 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 ran that far but 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 second base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and 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 ran towards third base, the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned 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 those watching were on their feet 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.

Shay didn't make it to another summer and 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!

[Wolfstarr]

Great story MG. I honestly don't know which choice I would have made given the same situation, but I think I am a type that would do the same as the young boys in this story...How wonderful and selfless.
The spirit working in their lives...
Thanks Morning Glory...

[Derameth]

Greetings Morning Glory!!!! I have seen this many times before and each time it brings tears to my eyes, for many reasons. Yet mostly for the reason that I have a mentally handicapped son.

My only hope in life has been that he never knew he was "different" from others. For in being himself he was happy, no comparison to others. He has been and is a pure spirit. Everything about my son (who is now 26) is wonderfully pure. Even when he gets upset, there is no holding back, no throwing past hurts into your face, as the rest of us "normal" people tend to do. He is angry for the moment, pure and simple. I suppose anger is not the correct word, he is more frustrated I believe.

I often wondered why God had given me this task. I never really thought of it as a burden, but I was angry and hurt that my first child should be "less than normal". Through time, and learning, I now see my son as the antithesis of a burden. His pure and simplistic view of life and love has taught me more than all the years of academia I have. He loves us unconditionally!

Choices? I suppose in some way I had a choice in keeping my son with us, but actually that never really was a debatable issue. I had no choice in giving birth to him, as he is. God, in his wonder, made the correct choice for me.

[BigSis]

I think the reason we all like this story is because we hope that we would always be so kind, and fear that part of us may not.

Have I ever passed a homeless person and thought - he gets what he deserved? Yeah... some days, that is just my mind set.

Have I handed money to someone knowing they "might" use it for drugs, yet "hoped" it could be for gas home like they said? Oh yeah.

Do I ever look at a sick or disabled child and believe they are somehow less than? Many times.

Conversely, do I look at a sick or disabled child and hold them to a higher standard of behavior... taking for granted they will be understanding and accepting and all the things *I* can't be? Too often.

Stories like the one above get circulated because they touch something in us that is hopeful. I think we see our own potential in these stories... in each character.

((((MG))))

[historyteach]

Those children "spoke the language of G*D" that day.
*sniffle*
That which we all have the potential to do.
And I hear you, BigSis. And agree.
(From Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People.)
Beautiful story.

Shalom!

[splendra]

MG you better stop making my eyes leak...

[mygirls_mylife]

someone call the plumber; mine are leaking also.