This story that you are about to read made me think of my niece Abigail who made great strides this past week in taking her first steps and is now walking. Abigail has some physical disabilities like Shay that make doing things we take for granted a little more difficult but she has the best siblings in Will and Cambria to cheer her on.We all have disabilities in one way or another. My wife would say mine is listening. I would agree with her in that listening is not my best quality especially when I'm watching an Iowa football game. God has given each one of us qualities that make us who we are and he accepts us as we are. The world may laugh and make fun of our disabilities, but we know through God's love that the good qualities and strengths we posses far outweigh the disabilities.
I urge each one of you that read this story to look at everyone's good qualities and overlook the disabilities. The past couple of months I have been very busy managing a family fun golf facility and I have an awesome staff and each one of them has great qualities that make Swing Right the best place for people in Springfield to come and enjoy bringing their family to enjoy themselves. If we stop looking at everyone's weaknesses and focus on their strengths, the world would be a much happier and positive place.
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning
disabilities, 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, who was
mentally and physically disabled 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 I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing
baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that
most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as
a father I also understood that if my 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. I 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 in to bat in the ninth inning.' Shay struggled over
to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I
watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys
saw my joy at my 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 I
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
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, 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 down the 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'. Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that
winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy,
and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero
of the day!
disabilities, 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, who was
mentally and physically disabled 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 I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing
baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that
most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as
a father I also understood that if my 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. I 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 in to bat in the ninth inning.' Shay struggled over
to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I
watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys
saw my joy at my 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 I
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
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, 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 down the 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'. Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that
winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy,
and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero
of the day!
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