JOSHUA TIME 395

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 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, physically and mentally handicapped 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 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 if Shay could play, not expecting> much. 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 put on a> team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had 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 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, recognizing the other team 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 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 game would now be over, but 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> head of the first baseman, 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 ran that far but> 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 second> base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base,> the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on> their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his> team for the first time. He could have thrown the> ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he> understood the pitcher's intentions and 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, the opposing shortstop ran> to help him and turned 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 those watching were on their feet 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.> > Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that> winter, having never forgotten being the hero and> making his Father so happy and coming home and> seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero> of the day!> > 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. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene> pass freely through cyberspace, but public> discussion about decency is too often suppressed in> our schools and workplaces.> > If you're thinking about forwarding this> message,chances are that you're probably sorting out> the people on your address list that aren't the> "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message.> 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 to> brighten the day of those with us the least able,> and leave the world a little bit colder in the> process?> > A wise man once said every society is judged by how> it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.> > You now have two choices: