生命的選擇~西恩日

(網路翻譯文章/出處已經不可考)

你會怎麼做？請你作出你的選擇，這不是什麼機智問答。
總之讀下去，我的問題是：你會作出同樣的選擇嗎？

在一個學習遲緩兒童學校的募款餐會上，在場的所有人永遠忘不了其中一個學生的父親所說的話。

在推祟學校和教職員的付出和貢獻後，這個家長問了一個問題：
照理說在無外力干擾下，大自然所創造的一切都是完美的。但我的兒子，西恩，他無法像別的孩子一樣的學習，他無法像別的孩子一樣的理解事物。
在我孩子身上，大自然的法則何在？

所有聽眾都啞口無言。
這個父親繼續說。我相信當像西恩這樣有身體及心智殘缺的孩子來到這個世界，是一個展現人類真實本性的機會。而這一次體現在別人如何對待這個孩子。

接著，他說了下面這個故事：

西恩和我走過一個公園，裡面有些西恩所認識的男孩正在玩棒球。
西恩問我：「你想他們會讓我一起玩嗎？」

我知道大部份的孩子不會想要有西恩這樣的孩子在自己的隊上，但身為一個父親我同時也知道若他們能讓我兒子參加， 這會讓他得到他所迫切需要的歸屬感並建立起自己雖然是殘障仍能被接受的信心。

我走近一個男童（不抱太大希望的）問他西恩可否參加，他看看周圍的隊友然後說：「我們輸了6分而現在正在第8局上，我想他可以參加我們的隊，我們會在第9局設法讓他上場打球。」

西恩帶著滿臉的喜悅困難的走向他的球隊的休息區，穿上該隊的球衣，我悄悄的滴下眼淚而心中有滿滿的溫暖。 而那些男孩也看出了我對於兒子被接納的喜悅。

在8局下，西恩的隊有追了上來，但仍然還輸3分。

第9局上半場，西恩戴上手套防守右外野，雖然沒有球往他的位置飛來，但能在場上他已經很高興了，我從看台上向他揮手他笑得合不攏嘴。

在9局下，西恩的球隊又得分了。

而此時，二出局滿壘的狀況，下一棒是球隊逆轉的機會，而西恩正是被排在這一棒。
在這個重要關頭，他們會讓西恩上場有打球的機會嗎？

讓人驚奇的是他們真的把球棒交給了西恩，大家都知道西恩根本不可能打到球，因為他甚至不知道怎麼握球棒更別談碰到球了。

然而當西恩踏上打擊位置，投手已經明白對手為了西恩生命中重要的這一刻放下贏球的機會，所以他往前走了幾步投了一個很軟的球給西恩讓他至少能碰一下。

第一球投出來，西恩笨拙的揮棒落空。

投手又再往前走了幾步投出一個軟軟的球給西恩。

當球飛過來西恩揮棒打出一個慢速的滾地球，直直的滾向投手。

球賽眼看就要結束。

投手撿起這軟軟的滾地球，他可以輕易的把球傳給一壘手讓西恩出局而結束這場球賽。然而投手把球高高的傳往一壘手的頭頂上方通過，讓他所有的隊友都接不到。

每個站在看台上的人不管是那一隊的都開始喊著：
「西恩，跑到一壘！跑到一壘！跑到一壘！」

西恩這輩子從來?有跑這麼遠過，但他還是努力跑到了一壘。
他踩上壘包眼睛張得很大而且很驚喜。

每個人都喊著說：「西恩，跑向二壘，跑向二壘！」
剛喘過氣，西恩蹣跚的跑向二壘，很辛苦的往壘包跑。

這時，就在西恩往二壘跑時，右外野手拿到了球，這個全隊最矮的小子第一次有了成為隊上英雄的機會了。

他大可把球傳向二壘，但這個全隊最矮的小子了解投手的心意，所以他也把球故意高高傳過三壘手的頭頂過去。

當前面的跑者往本壘跑時，西恩跌跌撞撞的往三壘跑。
大家都大喊著：「西恩，跑,下去，跑下去。」

西恩能到達三壘是因為對方的遊擊手跑來幫忙將他帶往三壘的方向，
而且喊著：「跑到三壘，西恩，跑到三壘。」

當西恩抵達三壘，雙方的選手和所有的觀眾都站起來，
高喊著：「西恩，全壘打！全壘打！」

西恩跑回本壘踩上壘包時，大家為西恩大聲喝采就如他打了一個大滿貫並為全隊贏得比賽的英雄般。

「那一天，」那個父親兩頰淚流滿面輕柔的說：「兩隊的男孩子把真愛和人性的光輝帶進了這個世界。」

西恩未能活到另一個夏天，他在那年的冬天過逝，但他從未忘記他曾經是個英雄而且讓我那們高興，以及他回家時看著媽媽流著淚擁著她的小英雄的那一天！


(原文)
I do not know where this story originated or if it is factual,
but it touched my heart and is worth taking the time to read.

Two Choices

What would you do?....you make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children, 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 not interfered with outside influences, everything 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, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and comes, in the way other 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 of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his 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.

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much.
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 to bat in the ninth inning."

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much.
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 to bat in the ninth inning."

Shay struggled over to the team's bench, put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth ining, 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 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 the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they 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 the other team 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 be able to make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsiland missed.
The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.
As the 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, but 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 head of the first baseman, out of the reach of all the teammates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling,"Shay, run to first!"

Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far but made it to first base.

He scampered down the 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 second base. By this time Shay rounded towards second base.

The right fielder had the ball.
The smallest guy on their team had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time in his life.
He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and 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, the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third".

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet screaming, "Shay, run home! Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and 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.

Shay didn't make it another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

May your day be a Shay Day, sunny today, tomorrow, and always!


後記：
原文雖不可考，但網路上有幾種古老的版本，以下是其一，供參考。
來自在紐約布魯克林區的一間教堂~~http://www.snopes.com/glurge/chush.asp