You have 2 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 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, 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 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 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."
> >
> >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, and leave the world a little
> >bit colder in the process?
> >
> >You now have two choices:
> >
> >1. Delete
> >
> >2 Forward
> >
> >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 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, 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 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 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."
> >
> >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, and leave the world a little
> >bit colder in the process?
> >
> >You now have two choices:
> >
> >1. Delete
> >
> >2 Forward
