>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 as =
>low 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 reached 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!
>
>AND, NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE 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 think twice about sharing.
>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 on your address list that 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 that opportunity to brighten =
>the day of those with us the least able, 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, sunny today, tomorrow, & always!
>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 as =
>low 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 reached 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!
>
>AND, NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE 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 think twice about sharing.
>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 on your address list that 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 that opportunity to brighten =
>the day of those with us the least able, 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, sunny today, tomorrow, & always!
