If Life Was Only A Little More Like This

[ray23]

Two Choices

What would you do? You make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question 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, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the worl d, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itse lf, 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 (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance 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 into bat in the ninth inning.'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt . His Father watched with 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 t he 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, recognizing that the other team was 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 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. 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 first baseman's head, 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 run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered downthe 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 the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball ... The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so 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 because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning 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 the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! 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'.

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.

May your day, be a Shay DAY

[mijan24]

Two Choices

What would you do? You make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question 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, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the worl d, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itse lf, 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 (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance 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 into bat in the ninth inning.'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt . His Father watched with 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 t he 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, recognizing that the other team was 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 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. 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 first baseman's head, 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 run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered downthe 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 the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball ... The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so 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 because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning 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 the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! 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'.

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.

May your day, be a Shay DAY

Ray23 The post of the year

It would be good to research the names of both teams and submit an article on this to the Bkk Post or even a world magazine,

You may even find that one of the so called supporters of the North dig into their pockets and provide the players of both teams a nice thank you. (read here uniforms, a little plaque, ??).

Renews ones faith in human nature.(count me in as a pledge of 100 baht should you wish to collect - just provide details of how to donate-Brian (Mijan24).

[aries27]

got this on the email a couple or so weeks ago as a forward....

[donna]

yeah, ive read that one a few times. still makes me cry.

[Heng]

IMO, it's fiction along the lines of the old white lady being afraid of two black dudes who turn out to be Michael Jordan and Eddie Murphy in some elevator ("amusing" anecdote on race relations email forward). The version I read said that 'Shay' died not long after, but apparently this version chose to edit that out because it didn't really make sense... the kid was just disabled, not dying of some terminal disease.

[garro]

I think Phil Coulter said it best;

Scorn not his simplicity

See the child

With the golden hair

Yet eyes that show the emptiness inside

Do we know

Can we understand just how he feels

Or have we really tried

See him now

As he stands alone

And watches children play a children's game

Simple child

He looks almost like the others

Yet they know he's not the same

Scorn not his simplicity

But rather try to love him all the more

Scorn not his simplicity

Oh no

Oh no

See him stare

Not recognizing the kind face

That only yesterday he loved

The loving face

Of a mother who can't understand

what she's been guilty of

How she cried, tears of happiness

the day the doctor told her it's a boy

Now she cries tears of helplessness

and thinks of all the things he can't enjoy

Scorn not his simplicity

But rather try to love him all the more

Scorn not his simplicity

Oh no

Oh no

Only he knows how to face the future hopefully

Surrounded by despair

He won't ask for your pity or your sympathy

But surely you should care

Scorn not his simplicity

But rather try to love him all the more

Scorn not his simplicity

Oh no

Oh no

Oh no

[ray23]

I got it as forward to, so nothing to donate to, just a good thought to keep in mind. The nice thing is that there really are people on the world who given the opportunity would do the same but we don't hear much about that.

You I took on a project to take a local orphanage to an event in the community a few years ago. It was a paid even and far beyond what I could have done myself. People from all over the world helped the result two hundred kids got to the party off thier lives.

The response was so good that what they really needed was underwear so 1000 pairs were purchased and donated as well.

So never think things like this don't happen, maybe in a different form, they just are not talked about much.

Edited April 25, 2008 by ray23

[garro]

I recently watched this video on YouTube;

[Shotime]

It is difficult to believe, but there is a story about the Special Olympics where all the participants stopped during a race to help one of the kids after he fell. Maybe that's why they call them special.

[ray23]

Cool video, heck I'm 61 still remember some very special things that happened when I was a kid, I'm sure this is one these kids will remember

[garro]

Bringing a little happiness into others' lives is the surest way to get some yourself.

[MidoriApple]

Thanks OP for this wonderful story....

I have read this post since morning via my pda (which it is too complicate to make a replying)

it made me cry out, full of tear on my face....

Good to know, to realize that there still be something people help people by no any money involved.

In this cruel world, world of consuming, and money can buy almost everything just to make people happy.

Sometimes it is so easy to find happiness around, to give, not to get..

I have started my today with rose color!!!!

Kob-kun-kha...

[pliny]

Am I alone in thinking this story is just so much mawkish drivel effective only as a simplistic parable fit for American daytime TV viewers?

Far, far better if Shay had been pile driven into a heap just before the final base to an accompanying jibe that life ain't for losers.

So much more satisfying, don't you think?

[billd766]

Thanks OP for this wonderful story....

I have read this post since morning via my pda (which it is too complicate to make a replying)

it made me cry out, full of tear on my face....

Good to know, to realize that there still be something people help people by no any money involved.

In this cruel world, world of consuming, and money can buy almost everything just to make people happy.

Sometimes it is so easy to find happiness around, to give, not to get..

I have started my today with rose color!!!!

Kob-kun-kha...

I felt the same way as you did this morning and even at 63 it brought a tear to my eyes.

However the post following by pliny

Am I alone in thinking this story is just so much mawkish drivel effective only as a simplistic parable fit for American daytime TV viewers?

Far, far better if Shay had been pile driven into a heap just before the final base to an accompanying jibe that life ain't for losers.

So much more satisfying, don't you think?

made me think that he is more right than the rest of us who enjoyed the OP.

Then I thought that if that is the kind of world he is living in I am glad that I live in a different one which is a lot nicer.

[Heng]

Exactly, as mentioned, I've read another version whose plotline was different. IMO it's no different than those various 'feel good about a sick/mentally disabled/orphaned/etc. child' email forwards.

[stumonster]

http://www.snopes.com/glurge/chush.asp

just for perspective

[lannarebirth]

I guess it depends if it was a playoff game... Seriously, a little bit over the top. I think the pitcher should have dogged it till the guy on third tagged home and then tagged Shea out at first. You shouldn't have to lose your dignity to allow someone else theirs.

edit: Alternatively, if I were the coach, I might have suggested a "Tim Wilhite", whereby Shea leans into the strike zone, takes one for the team ,and the guy on third is forced home.

Edited April 27, 2008 by lannarebirth

[ray23]

Somewhere in all this I guess the intent got lost, not unusual. As the title says "wouldn't it be nice". Obvioulsy as a whole it is not as depicted. But a kind thought to anyone is not a sign of weakness.

I have found some of the reponses to be interesting to say the least, but thats OK, it's what makes the world go around.

[radioguy1450]

What a ridiculous bullshit story. Shay didn't hit a grand slam, he weakly hit a ball a few feet and then some guy threw the ball into the stands. This is not a triumph, it is pity and any self-respecting person would be insulted if others took pity on them.

The post says something about making your day a "Shay day." So in order to do this I should what???? patronize the handicapped? Should Shays' teachers give him high grades even if he is stupid? Should he be given jobs he is not qualified for? How about "Shay the lifeguard" day at the beach.

I got news for the dumb fuc_king sap who wrote this original made-up story, competition is GOOD; It allows the cream to rise to the top and in the end we all benefit. When you let retards do things they are not qualified for you get people like George Bush running your country.

[ray23]

Yep takes all kind for the world to turn.

[qwertz]

This old chestnut is not original, like many posts on this forum.

I've even heard it in German.

Too much drag and drop, copy and quote here, IMO.

[suegha]

Ah, lighten up folks!

[Eric1949]

Surely it's the priciple of this story that matters.

The saying "what goes around, comes around" usually refers to wrong doings, but in this story, it's the opposite. It's a 'play it forward' senario

[ray23]

One thing about that story sure brings out the emotions of people, on both sides of the fence. I'm actually amazed by that. No matter how you cut it words are very powerful to us.

When you look at this in the end it doesn't effect anyones life. When I posted it I thought it was a nice story, nothing more.

To me it simply represents showing a little kindness to others around you. I maintain that is not a bad thing.

Imagine trying to live in a third world country and not be accepting of others who are less foruntate then you. I doubt few actually live here happily without that ablilty.

Your right time to lighten up, just a touching story and nothing else

[Heng]

Louis, you're going to the games!

[bulka]

I recently watched this video on YouTube;

LOL!!!!!!! =))))

[billd766]

The other world that I prefer not to inhabit is one in the UK at the moment.

A 20 year old woman was kicked and stamped to death by 2 teenagers because she was dressed as a Goth (i.e. different to them) as she tried to help her 21 year old boyfriend who was also being kicked and beaten.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england...ire/7370637.stm

There is not a lot of difference between the OP story and this one except the outcome as both participants were "different".

The OP was a good stroy, true or not, and the BBC report is real life.

I know where I want to live and it is not the country of my birth.

I can live with rose tinted spectacles, but the new reality, I prefer not to live with.

[burman]

^ Yes that was shocking story.

Well actually it was a sad tragic story but not all that shocking for the UK these days.

Edited April 29, 2008 by burman

[vegas]

Stories like this can be true. The SCC cricket club in Bangkok allows a disabled boy called 'Sledge' to play for them. That team has a heart of gold, and know what a club is all about.

[tim armstrong]

Ah, lighten up folks!

I agree with you. The sad thing about some of the replies is that CYNICISM rules. OK it may be an urban myth, but for sure we all need something that makes us smile.