An inspiring story

Subhan Allah.

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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: "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 a few boys nodded approval, why not? So 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."
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 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!