A story about choices people make

[LHammonds]

I don't know if this story is true or not but it is still a good story and something to think about. It brought a tear to my eye and I can only hope that I am a good enough father to raise my children to make similar choices and realizing that winning is not everything.

 

LHammonds

 

 

 

Title: 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 fund-raising 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!

[eXoduis]

what is their to say? it is such a beatiful story ...

[Argomirr]

Indeed.

[MonsterHunterMaster]

This is a really nice story.

I wish there would be more people like them cuz my little brother (9 years old) also has a similar problem like this. He is disabled in learning, means, he needs a lot time to understand things and he is not able to speak correctly. But still he is a beautiful person and the whole family loves him so much, and we all get love back from him. :blush:

[Fifoo]

But still he is a beautiful person and the whole family loves him so much, and we all get love back from him. :blush:

Agreed, MonsterHunterMaster. And you're a very kind person and family for making it true.

 

 

@LHammond

 

This story is a true lesson about love and fraternity... It shows us a way to lead for growing in mind, and here, there is only one victory, but a great one... It's a victory upon our self-perception in comparison of other people's opinion : the mutual understanding.

 

We all must take a look at the father's words, how they are beautiful and so true-wised :

 

"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection."

 

"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."

 

And now seeing how fast Shay runs. He put his heart and soul into running, without retenue, totally. He don't calculate, he won't do so : Shay is just happy to be here, playing with others, being a part of a team. Just being here and having the possibility to enjoy himself to the full, in conclusion : to exist in the others eyes...

 

It's here that the other people and the teams have to guide him, to acclam him, and to keep him up... The others have to simply love him, truly, with honnesty, so Shay could have a chance to live as the others do : just like a true human being...

 

Believe me, when you have the chance some times to move in such situations, and to mix with people and children like Shay, you'll never forget that. This is one of the numerous reasons I love my job.

 

And I have no doubt on how this lesson could be true here too, between us, all members, in Nexus Community.

 

 

Thanks LHammond and Kudos for sharing this great story, it's a beautiful gem and a lesson for us all. :thumbsup:

[Vagrant0]

A-hole Response Warning... Sensitive eyes need not look. No, seriously... It's an honest response as I see it, but may offend many.

 

While this is a good story, it really only serves to give you that temporary warm feeling and ignore the horrible truth that goes with a life like that. Sure, the kid may be happy, and those involved may have felt like they were doing a good thing there, but they really weren't. People with severe mental disabilities have a rough future ahead of them as they will likely be spending most of their time being dependent on family to keep them from harming themselves, or eventually be locked away in some care facility to be beaten and abused by the workers there who can get away with it because the patient is either unable to voice what is happening, or is too afraid of it. While a single event may give us all warm fuzzies, it doesn't change the brutal reality of things once that event is over with. Instead of trying to prepare these individuals for the future so that they can not only understand what is happening, but can deal with it, everyone seems more concerned about just covering it up and making that person feel good about themselves now. We have this silly notion that encouraging normal behavior makes these people more normal, largely for our own benefit, instead of accepting that their situation will never be the same as everyone else, and instead trying to improve their special, non-normal, situation.

 

Take the deaf, mute, and the blind for instance. At one time they were regarded as being lesser beings, incapable of being taught, incapable of expressing themselves, incapable of existing without the constant support of those around them. As a result were branded with a stigma that exists to this day despite the development of sign language, braille, and other things which were created and taught in order to help these people function in society. While I acknowledge that the situation is different in relation to downs syndrome or other mental disabilities which prevent people from being able to learn, it doesn't change the fact that these people too are also branded with a stigma that immediately forces everyone else to assume that they are lesser beings and that rather than working around the disability, we've just been stubbornly forcing standard teaching methods onto them in hopes that something will take, then committing any that aren't able to function normally. The same was once true for autistic children and adults. We assumed that the same learning methods were valid instead of taking a look at how the situation presents itself and developing methods around that situation. We may feel great about giving the disabled an occasional leg-up and confidence boost, but doing so usually doesn't help them. Try opening the door for someone in a wheelchair next time, sure, you may get a "thank you", but often you just get a dirty look as they run over your foot for looking down on their own ability.

 

 

I wish I had a non-ahole response so as not to dampen the mood, but unfortunately I don't. Instead here are some images of kittens.

 

*image missing*

 

Dangit... Well, assume that what you saw above was an image of two calicoes fighting over a ball of yarn.

[Retribution]

A-hole Response Warning... Sensitive eyes need not look. No, seriously... It's an honest response as I see it, but may offend many.

 

While this is a good story, it really only serves to give you that temporary warm feeling and ignore the horrible truth that goes with a life like that. Sure, the kid may be happy, and those involved may have felt like they were doing a good thing there, but they really weren't. People with severe mental disabilities have a rough future ahead of them as they will likely be spending most of their time being dependent on family to keep them from harming themselves, or eventually be locked away in some care facility to be beaten and abused by the workers there who can get away with it because the patient is either unable to voice what is happening, or is too afraid of it. While a single event may give us all warm fuzzies, it doesn't change the brutal reality of things once that event is over with. Instead of trying to prepare these individuals for the future so that they can not only understand what is happening, but can deal with it, everyone seems more concerned about just covering it up and making that person feel good about themselves now. We have this silly notion that encouraging normal behavior makes these people more normal, largely for our own benefit, instead of accepting that their situation will never be the same as everyone else, and instead trying to improve their special, non-normal, situation.

 

Take the deaf, mute, and the blind for instance. At one time they were regarded as being lesser beings, incapable of being taught, incapable of expressing themselves, incapable of existing without the constant support of those around them. As a result were branded with a stigma that exists to this day despite the development of sign language, braille, and other things which were created and taught in order to help these people function in society. While I acknowledge that the situation is different in relation to downs syndrome or other mental disabilities which prevent people from being able to learn, it doesn't change the fact that these people too are also branded with a stigma that immediately forces everyone else to assume that they are lesser beings and that rather than working around the disability, we've just been stubbornly forcing standard teaching methods onto them in hopes that something will take, then committing any that aren't able to function normally. The same was once true for autistic children and adults. We assumed that the same learning methods were valid instead of taking a look at how the situation presents itself and developing methods around that situation. We may feel great about giving the disabled an occasional leg-up and confidence boost, but doing so usually doesn't help them. Try opening the door for someone in a wheelchair next time, sure, you may get a "thank you", but often you just get a dirty look as they run over your foot for looking down on their own ability.

 

 

I wish I had a non-ahole response so as not to dampen the mood, but unfortunately I don't. Instead here are some images of kittens.

 

*image missing*

 

Dangit... Well, assume that what you saw above was an image of two calicoes fighting over a ball of yarn.

I agree with you completely, Vagrant. While it may seem like a heartwarming thing, all it's doing is adding a sense of levity to a very grave problem. I really admire your world view, it's very realistic and direct. Too many people let their view of things be affected by emotions, just like the people involved in this story.

[Vagrant0]

A-hole Response Warning... Sensitive eyes need not look. No, seriously... It's an honest response as I see it, but may offend many.

 

While this is a good story, it really only serves to give you that temporary warm feeling and ignore the horrible truth that goes with a life like that. Sure, the kid may be happy, and those involved may have felt like they were doing a good thing there, but they really weren't. People with severe mental disabilities have a rough future ahead of them as they will likely be spending most of their time being dependent on family to keep them from harming themselves, or eventually be locked away in some care facility to be beaten and abused by the workers there who can get away with it because the patient is either unable to voice what is happening, or is too afraid of it. While a single event may give us all warm fuzzies, it doesn't change the brutal reality of things once that event is over with. Instead of trying to prepare these individuals for the future so that they can not only understand what is happening, but can deal with it, everyone seems more concerned about just covering it up and making that person feel good about themselves now. We have this silly notion that encouraging normal behavior makes these people more normal, largely for our own benefit, instead of accepting that their situation will never be the same as everyone else, and instead trying to improve their special, non-normal, situation.

 

Take the deaf, mute, and the blind for instance. At one time they were regarded as being lesser beings, incapable of being taught, incapable of expressing themselves, incapable of existing without the constant support of those around them. As a result were branded with a stigma that exists to this day despite the development of sign language, braille, and other things which were created and taught in order to help these people function in society. While I acknowledge that the situation is different in relation to downs syndrome or other mental disabilities which prevent people from being able to learn, it doesn't change the fact that these people too are also branded with a stigma that immediately forces everyone else to assume that they are lesser beings and that rather than working around the disability, we've just been stubbornly forcing standard teaching methods onto them in hopes that something will take, then committing any that aren't able to function normally. The same was once true for autistic children and adults. We assumed that the same learning methods were valid instead of taking a look at how the situation presents itself and developing methods around that situation. We may feel great about giving the disabled an occasional leg-up and confidence boost, but doing so usually doesn't help them. Try opening the door for someone in a wheelchair next time, sure, you may get a "thank you", but often you just get a dirty look as they run over your foot for looking down on their own ability.

 

 

I wish I had a non-ahole response so as not to dampen the mood, but unfortunately I don't. Instead here are some images of kittens.

 

*image missing*

 

Dangit... Well, assume that what you saw above was an image of two calicoes fighting over a ball of yarn.

I agree with you completely, Vagrant. While it may seem like a heartwarming thing, all it's doing is adding a sense of levity to a very grave problem. I really admire your world view, it's very realistic and direct. Too many people let their view of things be affected by emotions, just like the people involved in this story.

You're a horrible person for agreeing with me (just like I am). Sorry, but we both are. It's certainly easy to say something like this when you aren't faced with the reality first hand. Any moment which is a distraction from the every day is something which should be cherished, for without having the next moment to look forward to, we may not be able to accept things as they are between them. It's easy to talk about it from a subjective point of view, but extremely difficult to deal with first hand.

[razorpony]

People with severe mental disabilities have a rough future ahead of them as they will likely be spending most of their time being dependent on family to keep them from harming themselves,

 

I agree with you there, which is why we should cherish moments like the one in the story. I don't understand the logic of "Well, he's going to have a hard life so let's not bother treating him like a normal kid, because he may get all happy and stuff and then he'll just have to deal with disappointment later."

 

Yes I am a parent. My daughter has autism. Maybe this hits me more personally than it does you, but I understand completely the happiness that father felt watching his child enjoy life. Was it a 'fake' accomplishment? Does it matter? The point of the story is people taking time to bring a bit of joy to others, and I think the world would be a better place if more of us did that.

 

 

-Razorpony

[Retribution]

People with severe mental disabilities have a rough future ahead of them as they will likely be spending most of their time being dependent on family to keep them from harming themselves,

I don't understand the logic of "Well, he's going to have a hard life so let's not bother treating him like a normal kid, because he may get all happy and stuff and then he'll just have to deal with disappointment later."

They didn't treat him like a normal kid.