A Touching E-mail

[Barry_White]

This will either make you cry, give you cold chills or leave you cold, but it does put life into perspective!

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the school's 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.

"Everything God 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 God's plan reflected in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. "I believe," the father answered, "that when God brings a child like Shay into the world, an opportunity to realize the Divine Plan presents itself and it comes in the way 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 will let me play?"

Shay's father knew that most boys would not want him on their team. But the father 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 from his teammates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, "We are 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 up 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.

At the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield. Although no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be 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.

Shay was scheduled to be the next at-bat. Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because 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 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 toward Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have ended the game. Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond 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 was rounding first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for a tag. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions had been, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head. Shay ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home.

As 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 home, stepped on home plate and was cheered as the hero for hitting a "grand slam" and winning 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 the Divine Plan into this world."

And now, a footnote to the story. We all send thousands of jokes through e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages regarding life choices, people think twice about sharing. The crude, vulgar, and sometimes the obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of decency is too often suppressed in school and the workplace.

If you are thinking about forwarding this message, you are probably thinking about which people on your address list aren't the "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message. The person who sent this to you believes that we can all make a difference. We all have thousands of opportunities a day to help realize God's plan. So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice, do we pass along a spark of the Divine? Or do we pass up that opportunity and leave the world a bit colder in the process?

You have two choices now:

1. Delete this.
2. Forward it to the people you care about.

You know the choice I made.

[Termite]

Thanks Barry.

[Christopha]

That wasn't funny at all the first time it did the rounds yeeaars ago.

[ozwinner]

Did they all go to Maccas after the game??
I went for option 1, as I dont get it.

Was the game sponsored by the Mormans?


Al :confused:

[Christopha]

He ran clean through the last base and carried on till he bounced off of the back fence....... after that they called him Rick 'o' Shay.......

[ozwinner]

It didnt mention in the story that he was Irish?


Al :confused:

[Tonyz]

Most of you aqre complete dingbats and show typical attitude. As one very proud dad of a son just like that all I can say is I'am sorry most of you have not had the priviledge or willingness to share in such a proud moment. your comments bring out the poor aussie male attitude. Tonto/Tony

[echnidna]

Tony you are being hyper sensitive, no one has intended to offend.
No one has belittled people with disabilities.
Everyone has just engaged in some light hearted tom foolery.

[ozwinner]

It is listed under woodies jokes as well?? :confused:


Al

[Bob Willson]

Hey Tonto
I also have a son like that. He is living on a farm run by the Endeavour Foundation. I also have a brother with Downs syndrome so I know whatof I speak.
I really HATE crap like this. It is just tear jerker stuff and bears little resemblance to life. I take every opportunity to relieve the pain? that I go through when thinking about my son. I would have loved him to a normal person with all the hopes and aspirations that that entails but it will never be.
So, I laugh instead.
I also disagree with the Jews who think that they are the only people entitled to make gas chamber jokes and amputees who think they have a monopoly on missing limb jokes. Etc.
You either laugh about it or you spend your life in a deep depression. Which do you do?

PS I immediately delete all this sort of stuff and then send an email back asking the sender not to forward this type of sentimental claptrap to me again.

[Tonyz]

Hey guys its me. Iwas over reacting last night Iam sorry. With a major sea change starting to take place Iam kinda over tired and streshed out. [Moving to country instead of city, letting out house[to family] not just a job but buying a business that relates to grain farmers and being a 'city'boy, one daughter not wanting to leave home yet not wanting to come with us ] please I shouldnt reply tro this site when like this Tony

[Sturdee]

Tony,

Looks like you are going to do the same as that TV show" Always greener " . :eek:

I hope you'll do better than they did. Keep us entertained with the stories of how you settle into your new life.


Peter.

[Barry_White]

Tony

I wouldn't worry too much about your daughter not wanting to go. The same happened to me when I move from Sydney to the country. I had to drag them screaming just about.

About 10 years later I said to them I might have a job coming up back in Sydney and their answer was see you later we're staying here. Consequently I didn't go anyway.

[Iain]

Good point Bob, in a previous life I worked with paedophiles and the only way to let it go was with jokes amongst other staff, after this I dealt with trauma debriefing which could be as devastating for the listener as well as the victim.
may recall the road trauma victims I had to attend, a bus full of 18 year old girls whom I was advised I had to debrief.
There was always a little lightness in all situations.

[Yogi Rasi]

This will either make you cry, give you cold chills or leave you cold, but it does put life into perspective!

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the school's 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.

"Everything God 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 God's plan reflected in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. "I believe," the father answered, "that when God brings a child like Shay into the world, an opportunity to realize the Divine Plan presents itself and it comes in the way 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 will let me play?"

Shay's father knew that most boys would not want him on their team. But the father 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 from his teammates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, "We are 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 up 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.

At the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield. Although no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be 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.

Shay was scheduled to be the next at-bat. Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because 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 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 toward Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have ended the game. Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond 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 was rounding first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for a tag. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions had been, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head. Shay ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home.

As 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 home, stepped on home plate and was cheered as the hero for hitting a "grand slam" and winning 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 the Divine Plan into this world."

And now, a footnote to the story. We all send thousands of jokes through e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages regarding life choices, people think twice about sharing. The crude, vulgar, and sometimes the obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of decency is too often suppressed in school and the workplace.

If you are thinking about forwarding this message, you are probably thinking about which people on your address list aren't the "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message. The person who sent this to you believes that we can all make a difference. We all have thousands of opportunities a day to help realize God's plan. So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice, do we pass along a spark of the Divine? Or do we pass up that opportunity and leave the world a bit colder in the process?

You have two choices now:

1. Delete this.
2. Forward it to the people you care about.

You know the choice I made.

Bazz,
How do I get this on my e-mail so I can forward it?
Yogi