While browsing through the internet
one day, I ran across this story. I found that this story
was so heartwarming, it should be shared. I can not vouch
for the validity of the story, but I choose to believe that
it is true.
Rick Hall
THE STORY OF
SHAY
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. 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 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.
Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field
and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance
and, getting none, he took matters into his own hands 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."
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 outfield.
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, would the boys 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 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 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 took the ball and turned and threw the ball on
a high arc to right field, far beyond the 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 rounded first base, the right fielder had
the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman
for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and
intentionally 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.
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 to home, stepped on to 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."
In February 2010, we received an email regarding the above story. The following opinions are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Legion:
I noticed you have the Story of Shay on your website and hail it as an inspirational story. As a parent of a child with a disability, I find this story far from inspiring. In fact, I find it a sad reflection on the attitude people have towards people with disabilities as do many others. This extract from another's comment on the story summarises my feelings well....
The true value of any inspirational tale lies not in its veracity (or lack thereof) but in its ability to move those who read it to improve some facet of themselves. As with many other glurges, we find this story's premise a poor one, and its message one likely to do more harm than good.
What to make of an incitement to bestow upon the disabled a pat on the head instead of granting them acceptance for who they are, even when that means accepting the limitations placed upon them by their infirmities?
The story of Shaya's grand slam positions the 18 boys who fooled the disabled child into thinking he'd done something miraculous as great-hearted lads who reached into the depths of their souls and therein found the kindness with which to lavish upon a less-abled youngster. We're supposed to look up to them and want to be like them. Yet to do that, we'd have to fail to understand the nature of what they did — rather than accept Shaya for who he was, they pretended he wasn't disabled. Were this story taken as the model for how we should all behave around the less-abled, those struggling with very real physical and mental shortcomings would never get to show off what they can do nor experience the honest praise of admiring teammates and co-workers for their actual contributions, because pity-driven exercises in make-believe would rob them of their every chance to be seen as actual people.
Can a disabled child hit a baseball as well as a perfectly-abled one? No. But can that same child learn to work within his disabilities to the point of achieving real accomplishments he can take honest pride in? Absolutely. And that beats all the pity-driven home runs in the world.
Said the father in the story, "I believe that when God brings a child like this into the world the perfection that he seeks is in the way people react to this child." This story counsels that "perfection" be one of pity and dismissal of the actual person. And that can't be right.
I have a more truly inspirational story to tell. I hope you will see the difference.
My son is severely intellectually disabled. He is unable to speak, has poor balance and coordination, is hyperactive and unable to concentrate on tasks for longer than a minute. Yet he loves people, being outdoors, can follow simple instructions and has a good memory.
With these skills and likes in mind, I signed him up for a cricket team. He attends every training session and every game. He is unable to play cricket, his limitations are too significant. But he can pack and unpack the team kit, retrieve balls hit over the fence, set out the field markers and bring out the drinks at breaks. The boys value and respect him and the role he plays. He has a team uniform and is in the team photo. He was awarded a certificate of appreciation alongside a mum who washed the uniforms each week at the presentation night.
I hope you can see the significant difference between Shay's story and my son's.
Sheree Henley
