Some children come to this world in the same way that others come.They cry like others,laugh like others.When others grow day by day,they too grow from their physical bodies.But the problem is their minds grow slowly.They are called "children with mental disabilities".They are different from other children without even knowing it.They wonder why people stare at them when they walk on a road.They have to bear unacceptability with wet eyes among friends.All this for a wrong they've never done.
Lately I've got this story from an email. Just read it.
At a fund raising 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 no interfered with by outside influences, every thing 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 disabled comes into the world and 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 the 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 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 the 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 he 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 second 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 short stop 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.I smelled divine fragrance of the humanity with wet eyes".
"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! "
That's the story and I'm moved by it totally. Are you too?
An one thing is clear.They are innocent children who deserve our love more than everyone. They too have a right to live and enjoy of their lives like you and me.We'll help them to make it with our love, care and acceptance.
A wise man once said "every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them". So we are the people who can create a heaven or hell on this earth.
Photo is by
CampASCCA
