At a fund-raising 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, 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."