Run for the Thrill of Life!

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This story has touched many hearts, as it has mine.

RUN FOR THE THRILL OF LIFE!

The story is about a father of a disabled child, in his case, a son named Shaya, a learning disabled boy in Brooklyn.

On weekends, Shaya and his dad like to go for walks. As they do, they like to stop and watch the neighbourhood boys play baseball. On this one Sunday afternoon, as they approached the ball field, Shaya looked up at his father and asked, "Dad, do you think they would let me play?" Now, this gave Dad a dilemma. He knows his son is learning disabled, very uncoordinated, and has never played baseball before. But Dad also knows the neighbourhood boys have always treated Shaya with kindness. And he feels that if he, his father, doesn't speak up for Shaya, who will?

So he walked over to one of the boys and asked, "What do you think about letting Shaya in the game?" The boy didn't know what to say, and looked around to his team mates for guidance. Not getting any, he took matters into his own hands. He said, "Well, we're about to start the 8th inning, and we're losing by six runs. I don't think we're going to win this game, so what's the difference? Get him a glove and he can play behind second base, in short centre field," which Shaya did with a big smile on his face.

In the bottom of the 8th inning, Shaya's team rallied and scored three runs. But they were still losing by three. In the bottom of the 9th, they rallied again. They had three runners on base, two out, and it was Shaya's turn to bat. Dad wondered, will they even let him bat? But without hesitation, one of the boys shouted, "Shaya, you're up!," and he was handed a bat. But as he stood at home plate, it was obvious to all that Shaya didn't even know how to hold the bat, let alone hit with it.

So the pitcher moved in a couple of feet and lobbed the ball very softly so Shaya could at least make contact. Shaya swung and missed by a wide margin. Before the second pitch, one of Shaya's team mates called out, "Hold on, let me help him. Let me show him how to bat." This boy came and stood behind Shaya, and put his arms around him so the two boys were now holding the bat together. The pitcher moved in a couple more feet and again lobbed the ball as softly as he could. The two boys swung the bat together and managed to tap a soft grounder right back toward the pitcher. Shaya's team mates yelled, "Run, Shaya! Run to first!" And he took off for first base. But the pitcher pounced on the ball in an instant and could easily have thrown Shaya out at first, ending the game. Instead, the pitcher took the ball and, with obvious intention, threw it on a high arc way over the first baseman's head, all the way into the outfield. Shaya was safe at first. The first baseman turned him toward second and said, "Run, Shaya, run to second!"

But by then, the right fielder had chased down the ball and he, too, could have easily thrown Shaya out, at second. But he understood what the pitcher had done. So he threw the ball not just over second base, but way over the third baseman's head, so far that nobody was going to retrieve that ball. As Shaya chugged into second base, the opposing shortstop ran towards him, turned him towards third base and shouted, "Run, Shaya, run to third!" Of course, by now the three runners who had been on base had scored.

The game was tied, Shaya represented the winning run, and his team mates were screaming with excitement. As Shaya rounded third base, every boy from his team... and several from the opposing team on the field... were all running behind him, cheering him home. And as he put his foot on home plate, both teams gathered around him, lifted him on their shoulders and cheered him as the hero of the game. He had just hit a home run and won the game.

These boys gave Shaya the thrill of his life. Of course, they gave him something even more precious--their acceptance. Obviously, these boys had either been taught, or perhaps had discovered on their own, the greatest secret of human happiness. And that is:

WE EXPERIENCE OUR MOMENTS OF PUREST JOY AT PRECISELY THOSE MOMENTS WHEN WE ARE CAUSING IT IN OTHERS.

It is a truism of life--whatever we give out comes back to us, multiplied. In the hurly burly of the holiday crush, if you want to experience some genuine joy, all you need do is take a few moments to spread some joy around yourself. Maybe it's time to call an old friend who needs calling. Or to forgive what needs forgiving. To let a family member hear some healing words. Perhaps write that note that needs writing. Smile an accepting smile at the next disabled person you encounter. Or maybe to just relax in the moment with someone older who'd love your undivided attention for a few minutes, as all living things thrive on attention.
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If you would like to share Shaya's story of joy with anyone you know, you certainly have my permission to forward this story to as many people as you wish, to spread a little cheer yourself and honour the spirit of the season.  

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