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在一場為心智障礙兒童學校募款的餐會上，一位父親在台上真情流露的分享， 讓在場所有與會者終身難忘。這位父親，先是稱讚並感謝學校及老師們的付出，
接著，他提出了一個深藏心中已久的問題：
「上帝所創造的一切都是美好的。可是，我的孩子尚恩卻不能像其他正常小孩一樣， 自由快樂的學習；他的理解力遠不如人。
我想問上帝：在我孩子身上，祂到底有什麼計畫？」 全場鴉雀無聲。 這位父親接著說： 「我相信，上帝既然將尚恩這樣的孩子帶來世上，祂奇妙的計畫就可能實現—— 這端看人們如何對待尚恩這樣的孩子而定。」
他說了以下的這個故事： 尚恩和他的父親，有一日經過一座公園。他們看見有幾個尚恩認識的孩子，正在那兒打棒球。 尚恩問他的爸爸：「你覺得他們肯讓我一起玩嗎？」
尚恩的爸爸心裡知道，這些孩子們不希望尚恩加入自己這一隊。然而他明白， 如果他們能恩准尚恩一起玩棒球，尚恩會是何等開心！於是他走進場上，
靦腆的向其中一個孩子詢問，是否可以讓尚恩加入他們。這個孩子徵詢了隊友的意見，
但是卻沒什麼回應。於是他自作主張說：「我們已經輸了六分，現在是第八局，我想，
也許他可以在第九局上場打擊。」
八局下半，尚恩這一隊得了些分數，但是還是落後三分。九局上半，尚恩戴上棒球手套， 負責防守外野。雖然沒有任何一球飛向他所站立的地方，但他仍然興奮的不得了！
他笑的合不攏嘴，拚命向坐在老遠的父親揮手。
到了九局下半，尚恩這隊又得分了。兩人出局，一人在壘，接下來剛好該輪到尚恩 上場打擊。就在這個勝負的關鍵時刻，尚恩這一隊真的肯放棄贏球的機會，
讓他出場打擊嗎？
意外的是，他們真的派尚恩上場了。每個人都知道，要尚恩擊出安打， 簡直就是不可能的任務。他連球棒正確的握法都搞不清楚，更別說是擊中來球了。
然而，當尚恩站上打擊板，對方的投手竟然向前了走了好幾步，
並輕輕的將球投向尚恩，好讓他至少可以打到球。
尚恩努力揮棒，擊出一個投手前的滾地球；投手檢起這個滾地球， 明明可以輕鬆將尚恩刺殺在一壘之前—— 尚恩一出局，比賽就會結束，
對方可說是贏定了！然而，這位投手卻在撿起了球之後，將球高高的丟向離一壘手
有一段距離的右外野，這時每個人都大聲的喊著：
「尚恩，跑！跑！跑到一壘！」 尚恩這輩子到目前為止，還沒有上過一壘。他撲倒在一壘壘包上，睜大了眼睛， 一臉不敢置信的樣子。
孩子們又開始喊了： 「尚恩，跑！跑！跑向二壘！」 當尚恩徘徊在一壘壘包上的時候，右外野手已經接到了球。他大可以把球投給二壘手， 將尚恩刺殺在二壘之前。但右外野手顯然瞭解投手的用意，所以他乾脆把球丟的老高，
飛向三壘手的頭上。這時原來在壘上的其他跑者，已經迫不及待的奔回本壘得分。
當尚恩站上二壘時，對方的游擊手竟然跑向他，引導他跑向三壘。
他大聲喊著： 「快！快！跑到三壘！」 當尚恩跑向三壘時，兩隊的孩子們都興奮的尖叫著： 「尚恩！快跑回本壘！」 尚恩跑向本壘。當他踏上本壘壘包的時候，全場歡聲雷動。 他的隊友們給他英雄式的歡迎和擁抱，因為他擊出了再見安打，
並且為自己這隊贏得了勝利。
「那一日，」站在台上致詞的父親，眼淚不斷滑下面頰，他輕聲說道： 「這兩隊天使們幫助了上帝，實現了祂在尚恩身上的奇妙完美計畫。」 因為有尚恩這樣的天使，讓孩子們學習到愛與犧牲的功課； 因為有這兩隊合作無間的天使，讓尚恩終於知道：人性也有純真而美麗的一面。
我們在人生中，面對過無數次抉擇的機會，有時不僅僅是選擇世俗的成敗輸贏而已。 即使是一抹微笑，一聲問候，即使是最微不足道的互動，上帝都給予我們抉擇的契機：
我們是否在別人身上看到，上帝那奇妙無比的計畫？
我們是否選擇成為上帝實現那奇妙計畫的一部分？
秋意漸濃，寒意也漸重。社會上的紛紛擾擾，讓人心頭找不到溫暖的倚靠。 但我總相信：在秋天的童話裡，太陽的微笑，戰勝了北風的狂傲；
真愛的燭光，融化了仇恨的冰霜。端看我們願不願意，
成為那個在漫漫長夜裡點燈的人。
每一日，當我們面對天使或是魔鬼的抉擇， 願我們選擇成為：傳遞良善、犧牲、慈愛的器皿。 ===================================================================================== |
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 by 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 it 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 in 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 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 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 'cause 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 clumsily and 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 reach of all teammates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! 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 the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. 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 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 those watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay, 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. Shay didn't make it to 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!
AND, NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY: We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people think twice about sharing. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces. If you're thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that you're probably sorting out the people on your address list that aren't the "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message. Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference. We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the "natural order of things." So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up that opportunity to brighten the day of those with us the least able, and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?
Every society is judged by how it treats its least fortunate amongst them.
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