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In the competitive world of the 1990’s, one wonders whether the
old adage still holds true:
“It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.”
The following true story illustrates the power of human concern -
even in the face of intense competition.
* * *
In Brooklyn, New York, Chush is a school that caters to learning-disabled children.
At a Chush fund-raising 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 that 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 his 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.
* * *
Shaya attends Chush throughout the week and a boy’s yeshiva (Torah
institute) on Sundays. One Sunday afternoon, Shaya and his father
came to the yeshiva as his classmates were playing baseball. The game was
in progress and as Shaya and his father made their way towards the
ballfield, Shaya said, “Do you think you could get me into the game?”
Shaya’s father knew 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 was chosen, it would give him a comfortable sense of
belonging.
Shaya’s father approached one of the boys in the field and asked,
“Do you think my Shaya could get into the game?”
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 already 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 eighth 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 and the
potential > winning runs 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 told to take a bat and try to get a hit.
Everyone knew that it was all but impossible, for 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 in a few steps to lob the ball in
softly so Shaya should at least be able to make contact.
The first pitch came in 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 towards Shaya.
As the next pitch came in, Shaya and his teammate swung the bat
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.
Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to
right field, far and wide beyond the first baseman’s reach.
Everyone started yelling, “Shaya, run to first! Shaya, run to first!”
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 rightfielder understood what the pitcher’s intentions were, so he
threw the ball high and far over the third baseman’s head, as everyone
yelled, “Shaya, run to second! Shaya, 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 shortstop ran towards him, turned him towards the direction of
third base and shouted, “Shaya, run to third!”
As Shaya rounded third, the boys from both teams ran behind him
screaming, “Shaya, run home! 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 the “grand
slam” and won the game for his team.
“That day,” said the father who now had tears rolling down his face,
“those 18 boys reached their level of perfection.
They showed that it is not only those who are talented that should be recognized,
but also those who have less talent.
They too are human beings, they too have feelings and emotions,
they too are people, they too want to feel important."
Thanks to Cindy for sending this one to us.