an email I’d like to share

> > > 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.
> > >
> > > “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 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. Shay’s father approached one of the boys on the field and
> > > asked if Shay could play.
> > >
> > > The boy looked around for guidance and, getting none, 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.”
> > >
> > > 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 outfield.
> > >
> > > 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, 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 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 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 took the ball and turned and threw the ball on
> > > a high arc to right field, far beyond the 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 rounded first base, the right fielder had the
> > > ball.
> > >
> > > He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag,
> > > but he understood the pitcher’s intentions and intentionally 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.
> > >
> > > 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 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.”
> > >
> > > 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.
> > >
> > > 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, and leave the world a little bit colder in the
> > > process?
> > >
> > >You now have two choices:
> > >
> > > 1. Delete
> > >
> > >
> > > 2. Forward
> > >
> > > Friends are quiet angels
> > > Who lift us to our feet
> > > When our wings have trouble
> > > Remembering how to fly!
> > >