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27 Sep 00 - 04:06 PM (#306783) Subject: a story to brighten your day From: Morticia As some of you will know, I've just moved back to working with people with learning disability. I was sad but not surprised to find resources are still as scare, the budget is still overspent, the workers still over-worked..in short, nothing has changed. I have spent all week wondering whether I did the right thing and then some angel sent me this.....I know it's a bit long but bear with me, I hope you will find it worth it.
In Brooklyn, New York, Chush is a school that caters to learning disabled children. Some children remain in Chush for their entire school career, while others can be main-streamed into conventional schools.
At a Chush fundraising dinner, the father of a Chush child delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff,he cried out, "Where is the perfection in my son Shaya?Everything God does is done with perfection. But my child cannot understand things as other children do. My child cannot remember facts and figures as other children do. Where is God's perfection?
The audience was shocked by the question, pained by the father's anguish and stilled by the piercing query. "I believe," the father answered, "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." He then told the following story about his son Shaya:
"One afternoon, Shaya and his father walked past a park where some boys Shaya knew were playing baseball. Shaya asked, "Do you think they will let me play?" Shaya's father knew that his son was not at all athletic and that most boys would not want him on their team. But Shaya's father understood that if his son were chosen to play it would give him a comfortable sense of belonging.
Shaya's father approached one of the boys in the field and asked if Shaya 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." Shaya's father was ecstatic as Shaya smiled broadly. Shaya was told to put on a glove and go out to play short center field. In the bottom of the eight inning, Shaya's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shaya's team scored again and now with two outs and the bases loaded with the potential winning run on base. Shaya was scheduled to be up.
Would the team actually let Shaya bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shaya was given the bat. Everyone knew that it was all but impossible because Shaya didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, let alone hit with it. However as Shaya stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shaya should at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shaya swung clumsily and missed.One of Shaya's teammates came up to Shaya and together they held the bat and faced the pitcher waiting for the next pitch.The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shaya. As the pitch came in, Shaya and his teammate swung at the ball and together they 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. Shaya would have been out and that would have ended the game.
Never in his life had Shaya run to first. He scampered down the baseline wide-eyed and startled. By the time he reached first base, the right fielder had the ball.He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman who would tag out Shaya, who was still running. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions were, so he threw the ball high and far over the 3rd baseman's head. Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second." Shaya ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home. As Shaya reached second base, the opposing short stop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base and shouted, "Run to third." As Shaya rounded third, the boys from both teams ran behind him screaming, "Shaya run home." Shaya ran home, stepped on home plate and all 18 boys lifted him on their shoulders and made him the hero, as he had just hit a "grand slam" and won the game for his team. "That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "those 18 boys reached their level of God's perfection." |
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27 Sep 00 - 04:15 PM (#306791) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: Dave (the ancient mariner) That one brought tears of joy with it, I would have loved to witness that. Thank you Morticia. With young people like that around, there is still hope for this planet. Yours, Aye. Dave |
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27 Sep 00 - 04:17 PM (#306792) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: Kim C gee, Morty, thanks a lot for making me CRY.... |
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27 Sep 00 - 04:25 PM (#306797) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: Cobble morticia A lesson to us all, Thank you for the story. people like you who care for our special brethren must be touched by the angels. god bless you. Mrs. Cobble |
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27 Sep 00 - 04:40 PM (#306806) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: catspaw49 Well geeziz Terri........sitting here crying........thanks....you know how close to home that is..........Bless you sweetheart. Pat |
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27 Sep 00 - 06:39 PM (#306889) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: katlaughing Oh, Mortee, now my dawg is all worried 'cause his mom is bawling her eyes out! THAT is BEE YOU TEE FULL!! Thank you for sharing it wiht us. Spaw, thansk for mentioning this in the Snog thread. She deserves a big huge one for this! luvyakat |
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27 Sep 00 - 06:49 PM (#306896) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: Noreen Lovely story, Morty- thanks for sharing it with us. I can picture a child just like Shaya, and the look on his face. Noreen |
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27 Sep 00 - 06:52 PM (#306901) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: Tinker THANK YOU... Before childcare outpaced my salary this was also my field. The tears are streaming and I'm on my way out to a class, but very very happy...Thank You Tinker |
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27 Sep 00 - 07:07 PM (#306907) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: John Hardly Thank you SO much! John |
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27 Sep 00 - 07:14 PM (#306910) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: bflat Morticia, bless you for bringing this beautiful story to Mudcat. This is mandatory reading for all as far as I am concerned. I would hope that it would quell the tide of cynicism wherever it laps. Children are wonderful people. A child of God knows another child of God. Bless those kids. Thank you, dear. bflat |
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27 Sep 00 - 07:26 PM (#306923) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: Catrin Morticia - An ex-colleague of mine, who remains a good friend, has a son with a learning disability. I will print this out to show it to her - I know she'll love it! What a wonderful story! Catrin |
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27 Sep 00 - 08:18 PM (#306957) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: SINSULL Thank you Morticia and Shaya. |
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27 Sep 00 - 08:28 PM (#306968) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: Mrrzy I can only hope that my Timmie encounters children like that...(weeping) |
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27 Sep 00 - 08:45 PM (#306984) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: MichaelAnthony This instills so much confidence in our world. Thanks for posting it. |
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27 Sep 00 - 09:04 PM (#306996) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: Seamus Kennedy Golly Bob! Never thought I'd cry at words on a wee TV screen. Way to go Shaya, way to go team! Olympics Please take note... Seamus |
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27 Sep 00 - 09:21 PM (#307013) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: Hotspur One story like that is worth a hundred overhyped Olympic athlete bios. |
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27 Sep 00 - 09:43 PM (#307023) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: GutBucketeer As a parent of a GTLD son that story was wonderful!!! JAB |
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27 Sep 00 - 09:54 PM (#307031) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: Tinker My class tonite was part of an Education For Ministry group. We spent a couple hours discussing grace. We closed with a Mitzvah. Shaya's Story. Blessings Tinker |
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28 Sep 00 - 04:04 AM (#307190) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: GUEST,Michael in Swansea My vision's gone all blurred. Morty, may you always walk in sunshine. Mike |
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28 Sep 00 - 04:53 AM (#307198) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: Skipjack K8 I'm sure getting some funny looks blubbing in an open plan office, Morty, you should've put a flood warning on this one! Sent it to the present Mrs Skipjack. Bless you Skipjack |
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28 Sep 00 - 08:30 AM (#307244) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: GUEST,Patrish Thanks, but what do I tell everyone in the office - my mascara has run and I look like a panda Patrish |
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28 Sep 00 - 08:43 AM (#307248) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: CamiSu Morty-- I'm laughing through tears! In the town across the river there was a boy who had several disabilities, and LOVED basketball. (He'd loved it even when he was in Jessica's kindergarten) He was on the basketball team from 5th through 8th grade, and the coach made sure he played every game. The kids would always include him and the opposing team was often astonished, but slowed down accordingly so Jason would be truly included. (I always wished Jessica's coach could have seen this, as he was the sort who would play Jessica for 30 seconds a game, and his daughter for all but about 2 minutes, and claim everyone got equal time!) I thank God for the grace shown by the people touched by these lovely children. BTW I saw Jason in HS a few years ago, where he was in the vo-tech shop program. Again he had a great teacher who took him as far as he could, and Jason was ecstatic about the work he was doing. Cami Su |
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28 Sep 00 - 11:42 AM (#307347) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: GUEST, mrs_zezam Morticia, thank you for sharing such a beautiful & inspiring story. Mary |
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28 Sep 00 - 11:51 AM (#307352) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Morticia, as the mother of another "Shaya" I thank you for sharing this. Add my tears to the cleansing stream that is flowing from the beauty of those ball players. |
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28 Sep 00 - 08:43 PM (#307800) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: GUEST,Joerg Well, I still don't know how baseball works, but *gulp* Joerg |
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28 Sep 00 - 08:55 PM (#307808) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: hesperis Thanks, Morticia. I read this thread earlier, but I really needed to read it just now. So, Thank you. |
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29 Sep 00 - 09:57 AM (#308134) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: McGrath of Harlow A lovely story. People can surprise you at how much better they are than you think they will be (as well as the other way, sometimes). It's a cynical time we're living in. The pressure is on to be hard and look out for number one, and winning's everything and so forth.
A priest I know talks about how we need to learn give in to the temptation to be unselfish.
Here are two true stories I posted in posted in an earlier thread.
Here's a true story that I put in the thread "Music and the Mentally Handicapped" - but it's not about music. It was told me by a friend.
She was sitting in the Harlow town centre by the fountain with her son. Now, her son is in his thirties, and he's got epilepsy, and he can't talk too well, and he is pretty unsteady on his feet, and so on.
And there were a couple of well dressed young men - visitors to the town by the look of them - and they were were sitting nearby, and after a while she noticed that they were looking at her son, and imitating some of the things he said, and giggling.
And also nearby there was a pretty rough looking skinhead, rings in the nose and tattoos, and that kind of stuff, and big boots. And he was listening to what was going on. And then he gets up and he walks over to the jokers, and looks hard at them and tells them to "push off" - except he didn't exactly say "push off". And they pushed off quite rapidly.
And then he goes over to my friend's son, and shook his hands and said "You're all right mate!" And he marched off.
As my friend said "It makes you proud sometimes to live in Harlow!"
And here's another story, which goes back to the time I was in a l'Arche Community for a few months many years ago. It was dinner time, which was a big communal thing, sitting round a big table. One of the high points of the day.
Well, the pudding came around. And there was some mix-up, because a couple of people were serving, and I found myself with two helpings in front of me. And I was just looking down at them with a pleased surprised expression on my face, I suppose. And a helper swooped down and took one of the helpings away.
Well, I didn't really mind, though it was a good pudding. But I must have shown a flicker of dismay, because one of the core members of the community, who'd spent many years in a subnormality hospital (that's another of the charming terms they used to label people with), was watching me. And he came over, and he touched my hand and said "Never mind" (which was a long sentence for him) - and slipped two cigarettes in my breast pocket.
So often people talk as if being sensitive to other people, and aware of how they might be feeling, is somehow linked with being clever and competent and so forth. And it's so far from being true it's laughable. |
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29 Sep 00 - 11:45 AM (#308201) Subject: RE: BS: a story to brighten your day From: Little Hawk Exactly, Morticia, and thank you. There is nothing in this life that cannot become a blessing if people understand how to make use of the opportunity that it provides. I recall that when the Jesuit priests first forced the Native Indians to send their kids into residential schools (cultural prisons), they had a hell of a time teaching the Native kids to play competitive sports. The reason was that the kids would simply play until both sides had the same number of goals scored...they figured that then it was a tie, everyone was happy, and the game was over. Needless to say, the Jesuits pounded this non-competitive attitude out of them eventually...along with abusing them in every manner imaginable. The best way to deal with a game...or with life...is to play for the sheer joy of it, and in such a manner that everyone wins. That is spiritual mastery. |