Peice of Humanity

Piece of true love and humanity
> > 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 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."