This was just passed to me by one of my staff members.
It’s going to make you pause and ask yourself what life is really about.
This story is worth a few minutes of your time:
At a fundraising 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!
(Unknown author)
Please share your thoughts below.
To your success,
37 Comments
Loved that story!
Thank you, a beautiful tear from this story we know there is more good out there, I’m sure everyone will never forget that day
Sydney
God’s perfection. The reasons aren’t always clear but they’re always there. Everyone who participated, watched and now learned of that event is changed for the better for a lifetime.
S. Jersey
Ari – such power emanates from your site – it’s a privilege to read it, feel it, and be part of it. Your work is a rare and special treasure…
Lake Station, IN USA
Hi Jerry, good to hear from you. It’s bee a long time hasn’t it! Let’s stay in touch….
Inspiring. Thanks for sharing that story. Worth every bit of the time to read and reread it.
Lancaster, PA USA
Powerful story, Ari,
It brought me tears.The power to care and be kind to someone has a huge impact.
I should keep my mind open for such opportunities to give love.
Even though I’ve heard or read this story many times, it still has the ability to touch my heart. The word is compassion. We have the power to literally change someone’s world with a small amount of action on our part. That’s why charity is a part of divinity. We show our connection to our “source” by expressing our caring for one another. God smiles when we care. Find ways everyday to make a difference for someone else. The human race, with all of it’s shortcomings, have been paying it forward since the dawn of time. What will you do tomorrow?
Folsom, CA
I am single parenting 2 children since 13 years and my elder son age 25 is a learning disabled. I saw that he completes his graduation, but during his academic life he was always made a mock and a source of entertainment. This story you have shared was only because one of the player took the initiative to accept the child to include in the team and the rest followed. My younger son has undergone trauma twice, first when his age was 9, before he could get down from his school bus the bus was set into motion and he was dragged along with the bus for 12 meters and he could not hold the ajar of the bus for long and the rear tyre of the bus went over his abdomen crushing him. The second trauma in the year 2008 age 18, he fell down from the running local train and again severe and multiple injuries. This boy has under gone 22 super major surgeries in last 11 years. He was interested in computers and he enrolled in an institute in the month of Jan 2010 and he has picked up so well that the institute is training him to become a faculty and teach the students. I wanted to share this with your readers because such cases are source of inspiration for many.
Regards
Bipin Mehra
India Mumbai
I always shed a tear, because my older sister, born with cerebral palsy, would always be picked last for team sports, because she couldn’t run too well. Two memories surface. A race that I determined she would not lose, and we tied last and how difficult it was to run that slowly, and how quiet the spectators were when we finished together. And a second memory as she got older, where she opted out of a game of baseball. When I hurried over after an inning, here she was with a bunch of girls around her having the time of her life with some of the best players that also opted out because she was so much fun to be with…. she continues to be my inspiration!
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Hi Ari,
Thank you very much for sharing this story. It shows that inspire of so much cruelty and evilness amongst people, there is still hope alive in this world.
London, UK
I have been a coach when I have had the time for many years. I also have had a wonderful past 19 years working with developmentally challenged young and old people. Always a lesson to learn and always a lesson to pass on to those who forget how easy life can be at times. Great story, helps those who think they are having a bad, trying day to rethink where their pain is coming from. Most of the time self inflicted, feeling sorry for yourself etc. Sales can be like that, but if you get out of your head, out of your own misery, all will be ok…just trust in that. Life is quick, not worth wallowing in self pity…just be happy you have another day.
Clearfield, PA
This so unexpectedly made me weep – thank you for sharing this morning – you have made my day – I nearly deleted without reading and i am so glad that I didn;t. Terri
Brisbane
Ari, Thank you for sharing this story. Having a grandson with cerebral palsy made it even more touching. I had difficulty reading because of thr tears.
Avon,OH 44011
Helping others to succeed, be it in business, as kids ‘trying’, elderly ‘needing a hand’, or those with special needs is the social glue that makes us a community, rather than just individuals ‘doing our thing’.
By sharing stories like the one about Shay plus those we each have, encourages others to ‘over throw first’ and be a hero by helping those that we can, when the time is right.
Spend more time making other people shine, in the spot light, than clamoring for the stage, and enjoy seeing potential unleashed.
Dubai
My hope is that I will always recognized the opportunities to uplift someone.
Thanks for sharing this story; it always brings tears to my eyes. Shay was a gift and helped teach love to many people.
Elk, WA
Ari,
That is a powerful story, a reminder of how wonderful human beings can be when they get their self-interest out of the way to genuinely care about and bless someone else.
I’ve heard this story before, and I think about it periodically. Every time I do, it reminds me to change my focus from myself to others.
Powerful.
– John
Macon, GA
Ari,
In addition to being an Electrical Engineer and running a sucessful services company for 22 years, one of my lifelong passions is music. I played in a band with my now ex wife 27 years ago and again for the last 7 years locally with friends in Southern New Jersey.
Last month we played (for free) a Second Saturday event in the nearby town of Collingswood. We had an enormous turnout, adults, children, dancing, singing along, clapping with every song we played. Around the middle of the first set there was this arorable little girl dancing, smiling non stop. She continued into our second set, again non stop. This girl, Abbey, has downs syndrome. And after the set was over, her Mom and Dad, who stood watching the whole time, came over to me and her Mom said “Thank you so much” and I asked her “For what?” and she replied, “For making my daughter so happy”. Well…if we did not have to start playing at that instant, I would have fell to my knees and balled like a baby. I still tear up when I tell the story. This little girl has left such an impression on me and its sitting right on top of my heart. NOTHING has ever touched me so, in my entire life (51 years) like little Abbey. We are playing again this Saturday and we are hoping to see her there again. I welcome your comments. 🙂
Voorhees, NJ
Thanks for sharing 🙂
It’s not too often I well up at work.
Santa Ana CA
Wow this is a tear jerker. I hope everyone can feel the warmth in the message and be able to pass on this compassion in the everyday routines of their life. It will undoubtably be an act that could be passed forward. If we could all feel the gift of unconditional love to our neighbors, family, friends and passer by’s our world would change dramatically. Our lives would be void of self indulgence and we would all feel the compassion we often disregard. Thank you for this insight and I will pass it forward.
Hollywood FL
Why a $25 T-Shirt?
I’ve never done this before, so please bear with me while you read this:
My friend, Michael, has autism. He’s 10 years old. He’s a smart kid, loves his family and we are “Shadow Buddies”, a very special name we gave ourselves when I took a photo of our shadows on a cold March 7th. Anyway, this autism disorder acts like a filter between that smart, little kid inside and the rest of the world. He doesn’t understand things the way I understand them and his reactions to things aren’t the same as mine, either. Michael will need a lot of help for the rest of his life.
A fun day for us “Shadow Buddies” is to walk to all the downtown hotels we can, ride escalators, walk a few stairs, and maybe try an elevator, too. Then we head to Flannery’s Pub where we get our Pepsi and chocolate chip cookies snack (you can see I’m totally involved in health foods…).
One out of every 110 new babies (one out of every 70 new boy babies) is born with some form of autism, some forms are more mild than Michael’s, some more severe. This year’s Autism Speaks Walk (9/26, Voinovich Park) is to raise money to help find out why and how autism effects us. It will never “cure” my Michael, but it will help “future Michaels.” You can learn more at http://www.autismspeaks.org.
So, help us if you would like and here’s how to do it:
You can send me a check made payable to “Autism Speaks”, or
You can go to the website and donate on line: http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/Cleveland/MichaelandMe
You can be a sponsor ($100 or more) and get your name on the T-Shirt. But, if you just want the very fashionable, unique T-Shirt, send or donate online $25 or more. Be sure to let me know what size T-Shirt you want. It will be very “in” this fall…
I appreciate your time and thoughtfulness, my Michael will never grasp the enormity of all of this (it’s difficult for me, too), and maybe we can make life a little better for “future Michaels.”
Earlier, I said Michael is a smart kid, but the autism “blocks” or “filters” a lot of that. One day while we were driving across town, it didn’t. Out of the blue, he asked me, “Are you going to die someday?” (try answering that at 55mph) And I told him, “Yes, we all die someday.” Then he told me, “Then I’ll be sad when we can’t go downtown anymore.” Me, too, Michael. Me, too.
Cleveland OH USA
Those boys showed what it means to LOVE your neighbor. I only hope that they continue to show love. There is enough hate in this world. thank you for sharing
Kennewick wa
I’ve always loved this story. I have a cousin with autism and to see the joy he gets out of things the rest of us take for granted is special. It always “puts me in my place.” Ari – thanks for sharing.
Portland, OR
WOW! What a true demonstration that deep down people want to support and help others succeed. Ari you are a true leader by defying the typical sales mentality and helping to bring even more humanity into this world – Coach Curtis
Naples, FL
Hi Ari,
Thanks for sharing this touching story with me. It was the best email I received today.
It is good to be associated with you
Kind regards,
Arthur
Bermuda
Absolutely awe-inspiring. Thank you Ari.
Grand Rapids Michigan USA
Thank you for sharing this very inspirational story of unselfishness and such caring by people. Brought tears to my eyes and has made me feel so good. Great to know that there are still some amazingly caring individuals in the world today.
Summerville, South Carolina
I was feeling very down this morning as i sent my daughter on a plane and wont be seeing her for a month and then I read this story and an amazing feeling of HOPE! Thanks for sharing with us.
NY
It shows the real essence of who we are as humans. Somehow, as we grow older, our view of what is important gets blocked by what is urgent and exciting. Nevertheless, that goodness is still inside each of us.
Ari, you do a great job of regularly reminding us of that original essence. That we are all about improving the experiences of others and spreading that to those around us.
Thanks, Scott
South Carolina
This story brought me to tears of happiness. I had several strokes 5 years ago and talk “funny” and use a walker now so I speak from experience. My happiest times (those that make me smile and feel good) are those when others don’t see my disabilities and treat me as “normal”. What a great feeling. Thanks for this story.
Trudy
Toronto, ON
Ari, is there a facebook link where I can share this story, somehow. This made me cry.
Cape Coral, FL
After having dealt with plenty of insincere and ruthless people in business over the last few months, this story has helped soften my battle – weary heart and helped me relax a little.
Perth WA
Powerful stuff Ari.
What more can I say.
Thank you for sharing.
Perth, Scotland
I’m sitting here crying…..Taking a moment to be kind to someone less fortunate; putting that ahead of our own needs…well, this ol’ world would be a much nicer place if everyone would do that – just once. This is a reminder that we all, each of us, can make a difference in our small corner of the universe…..
Florida
This is a great story and proves without a doubt that with just a bit of faith and love the world can be a better place. Amen.
Silver Spring, MD
Exactly what I needed to hear today Ari, we have a bigger purpose here, beyond just making money. Love the way you integrate success with also being human. Keep up the great work, you are doing something very special.
London, UK
Thank You, Thank You, this was so touching and speaks so much about you for making the decision to send this out your subscriber base.
San Diego, CA