>>This puts life into perspective!
>>
>>* >>>> > > > > 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 as
>>* >>>> > > > > other 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 the 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
>>* >>>> > > > > towards second base as the runners ahead of
>>* >>>> > > > > him deliriously circled the bases towards 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."
>> > >>>> > > > >
>> > >>>> > > > > *****
>>* >>>> > > > > And now, a footnote to the story. We all send
>>* >>>> > > > > thousands of jokes through e-mail without a
>>* >>>> > > > > second thought, but when it comes to sending
>>* >>>> > > > > messages regarding life choices, people think
>>* >>>> > > > > twice about sharing. The crude, vulgar, and
>>* >>>> > > > > sometimes the obscene pass freely through
>>* >>>> > > > > cyberspace, but public discussion of decency
>>* >>>> > > > > is too often suppressed in school and the
>>* >>>> > > > > workplace.
>> > >>>> > > > >
>>* >>>> > > > > If you are thinking about forwarding this
>>* >>>> > > > > message, you are probably thinking
>>* >>>> > > > > about which people on your address list aren't
>>* >>>> > > > > the "appropriate" ones to receive this type of
>>* >>>> > > > > message.
>> > >>>> > > > >
>>* >>>> > > > > The person who sent this to you believes that we
>>* >>>> > > > > can all make a difference. We all have thousands
>>* >>>> > > > > of opportunities a day to help realize God's plan.
>>* >>>> > > > > So many seemingly trivial interactions between two
>>* >>>> > > > > people present us with a choice: Do we pass along
>>* >>>> > > > > a spark of the Divine? Or do we pass up that
>>* >>>> > > > > opportunity, and leave the world a bit colder in the
>>* >>>> > > > > process?
>> > >>>> > > > >
>>* >>>> > > > > You have two choices now:
>> > >>>> > > > >
>>* >>>> > > > > 1. Delete this.
>> > >>>> > > > >
>>* >>>> > > > > 2. Forward it to the people you care about.
>> > >>>> > > > >
>>* >>>> > > > > You know the choice I made.
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