Guest guest Posted May 28, 2003 Report Share Posted May 28, 2003 Thank you. I forwarded this to 's Special Needs Coordinator at school. She also has a son with Special Needs. She is going to see that the story is posted around the school. We all learn from stories such as these. Maureen, mother to Tyler, 9 and , 5(MDS) Fwd: Perspectives I thought this was worth sharing... > > > > > Perspectives.... > > > > > > This will give you cold chills, but puts 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 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 > > > toward second base as the runners ahead of him > > > deliriously circled the bases toward 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 your 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. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------ End of Forwarded > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > > Beach > > > Economics Department > > > Queen's University > > > Kingston, Ontario > > > > > > E-mail: beachc@... > > > > >______________________________________________________ > > > > > > Sharon Sullivan > > > Administrative Assistant > > > Deutsch Institute > > > Queen's University > > > Dunning Hall, Room 219 > > > Kingston, Ontario > > > K7L 3N6 CANADA > > > > > > Tel: > > > FAX: > > > E-mail: sullivas@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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