Life's Choices

[hvacman05]

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 asother 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."

What choice have you made to make the world a better place?

[rob10]

That is sooo cool!! In the middle of the struggle of life, its great to read such inspirational thoughts!!

[Workhorse]

Great Story!!!!!

[Spidy]

Great Story.

[chucko615]

That was a Great story.

[justwarmingup]

wife and i both just read this...........brought a tear to our eyes
really makes U think
we are so lucky to have 3 healthy boys
wish i could spend more time with them

god bless

[Diceman]

Shay is like my one daughter......some people never realize the important things life.
Too bad, really.

[Green Mountain]

Originally posted by justwarmingup
wife and i both just read this...........brought a tear to our eyes
really makes U think
we are so lucky to have 3 healthy boys
wish i could spend more time with them

god bless

Hey huh!! Sometimes it scares me to think how fortunate I have been in life.

[snipe70e]

Thanks for posting above. I am printing it for my wife, she works for the Santa Clara Coundy Dept of Ed in the special ed devision. Can anyone tell me how to e-mail from the 4m
Len

[R12rules]

Great Story.

I know just what that Dad means.


Thanks for sharing it with us.



So Dice. ... you have a special daughter huh? I got a special son. How old is yours? Mine just turned 20.
He wants a driver's license. AUGH!!!

OH NO!!! Not "The Keys"!!!



If he was what some call "normal" ... I probably wouldnt have got to go shopping and fishing with him last weekend.
He probably wouldnt be asking for so much of my help with what many consider very simple matters.

Yeh ... if he was "normal" ... he'd probably have cost me a mint already on college tuition or something else.
Like maybe a car. Or added insurance coverage.

If he was "normal", he'd probably be spending all of his free time hanging out with his so called friends, his own age.
Instead of spending time at home with me and the Mrs.


My son will probably live here with us the rest of our lives. I have known this for a long time. And it was very hard news to swallow.
Especially at the first.
But when I think back on my gorwing up and time spent with my own Dad, I like this much much better.
We're together. He loves me and likes living at home.


That was a great story. Thanks for bringing it here to share.

[itsamine]

That's a great story.

My wife just got a job with the AHRC. In case you don't know it is with kids that has down syndrome and other stuff. She really enjoys working with them. They are no different to me than my own kids are.

[JohnB]

Originally posted by R12rules
Great Story.

I know just what that Dad means.


Thanks for sharing it with us.



So Dice. ... you have a special daughter huh? I got a special son. How old is yours? Mine just turned 20.
He wants a driver's license. AUGH!!!

OH NO!!! Not "The Keys"!!!



If he was what some call "normal" ... I probably wouldnt have got to go shopping and fishing with him last weekend.
He probably wouldnt be asking for so much of my help with what many consider very simple matters.

Yeh ... if he was "normal" ... he'd probably have cost me a mint already on college tuition or something else.
Like maybe a car. Or added insurance coverage.

If he was "normal", he'd probably be spending all of his free time hanging out with his so called friends, his own age.
Instead of spending time at home with me and the Mrs.


My son will probably live here with us the rest of our lives. I have known this for a long time. And it was very hard news to swallow.
Especially at the first.
But when I think back on my gorwing up and time spent with my own Dad, I like this much much better.
We're together. He loves me and likes living at home.


That was a great story. Thanks for bringing it here to share.

Now that brought a tear to my eye, in joy for you.
We play the cards we are delt, you just won.

[Diceman]

Hey 12......bring your kid to the convention, maybe he can hook up with my daughter, she is 23 and the angel of our family.