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> >Spark of the Divine
> >This will give you goose bumps, better get a Tissue! > > > >At a fund-raising dinner for a school that serves > >learning-disabled children, the father of one of the school's > >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. > > > >"Everything God 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 God's plan reflected in my > >son?" > > > >The audience was stilled by the query. > > > >The father continued. "I believe," the father answered, "that when > >God brings a child like Shay into the world, an opportunity to > >realize the Divine Plan presents itself. And it comes in the way > >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 boys would not want him on their > >team. But the father 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 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." In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a > >few runs but was still behind by three. > > > >At the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in > >the outfield. Although no hits came his way, he was obviously > >ecstatic just to be 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 bases loaded, the potential winning run was > >on base. Shay was scheduled to be the next at-bat. Would the team > >actually let Shay bat at this juncture 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 moved 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 > >toward Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and 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. > > > >Shay would have been out and that would have ended the game. > >Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to > >right field, far beyond 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 was rounding first base, > >the right fielder had the ball. > > > >He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for a tag. But > >the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions had > >been, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's > >head. Shay ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him > >deliriously circled the bases towards home. > > > >As 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 home, stepped on home plate > >and was cheered as the hero, for hitting a "grand slam" and > >winning 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 the Divine > >Plan into this world. > > > >And now, a footnote to the story. We all send thousands of jokes > >through e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to > >sending messages regarding life choices, people think twice about > >sharing. > > > >The crude, vulgar, and sometimes the obscene pass freely through > >cyberspace, but public discussion of decency is too often > >suppressed in school and the workplace. > > > >If you are thinking about forwarding this message, you are > >probably thinking about which people on your address list aren't > >the "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message. > > > >The person who sent this to you believes that we can all make a > >difference. We all have thousands of opportunities a day to help > >realize God's plan. > > > >So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present > >us with a choice: Do we pass along a spark of the Divine? Or do we > >pass up that opportunity, and leave the world a bit colder in the > >process? --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. 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