| People who know me, say that I am a very positive | | | | scheduled to be next at bat. |
| person. I've worked hard over the years at trying to | | | | At this juncture, let Shay bat and give away their |
| find the positive in most situations and pass it on to | | | | chance to win the game? |
| others. I was recently sent an email by a friend who | | | | Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew |
| passed on one of the nicest stories I have heard. So in | | | | that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't |
| this season of giving, I'd like to share it with you. The | | | | even know how to hold the bat properly, much less |
| author is anonymous. | | | | connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to |
| At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves | | | | the plate, the pitcher moved in a few steps to lob the |
| learning disabled children, the father of one of the | | | | ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make |
| students delivered a speech that would never be | | | | contact. |
| forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the | | | | The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and |
| school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: | | | | missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward |
| "When not interfered with by outside influences, | | | | to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch |
| everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet | | | | came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground |
| my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. | | | | ball right back to the pitcher. The pitcher picked up the |
| He cannot understand things as other children do. | | | | soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to |
| Where is the natural order of things in my son?" | | | | the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that |
| The audience was stilled by the query. The father | | | | would have been the end of the game. Instead, the |
| continued. "I believe, that when a child like Shay comes | | | | pitcher took the ball, turned and threw the ball on a high |
| into the world, an opportunity to realize true human | | | | arc to right field, far beyond the reach of the first |
| nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other | | | | baseman. |
| people treat that child." | | | | Everyone started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to |
| Then he told the following story. He and Shay had | | | | first!" |
| walked past a park where some boys Shay knew | | | | Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. |
| were playing baseball. | | | | He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and |
| Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?" | | | | startled. |
| Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not | | | | Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!" |
| want someone like Shay on their team, but the father | | | | By the time Shay rounded first base, the right fielder |
| also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it | | | | had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the |
| would give him a much needed sense of belonging. | | | | second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the |
| Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field | | | | pitcher's intentions and intentionally threw the ball high |
| and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around | | | | and far over the third-baseman's head. |
| for guidance and getting none, he took matters into his | | | | Shay ran toward second base as the runners ahead |
| own hands and said, "We're losing by six runs and the | | | | of him deliriously circled the bases toward home. |
| game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our | | | | Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop |
| team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning." | | | | ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base, and |
| In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored | | | | shouted, "Run to third!" |
| a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of | | | | As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams |
| the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the | | | | were screaming, "Shay, run home!" |
| outfield. Even though no hits came his way, he was | | | | Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was |
| obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the | | | | cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won |
| field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to | | | | the game for his team. |
| him from the stands. | | | | "That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling |
| In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored | | | | down his face, "the boys from both teams helped bring |
| again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the | | | | a piece of true love and humanity into this world. |
| potential winning run was on base and Shay was | | | | |