In Brooklyn, New York, Chush is a school that caters to children with learning disabilities. Some children remain in Chush for their entire school career while others can transfer into conventional schools. At a Chush fund-raising dinner the father of a Chush child delivered a speech that always be remembered by all who attended.
After extolling the school and its dedicated staff he cried out, "Where is the perfection in my son Shaya? Everything 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 the 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:
One afternoon, Shaya and his father walked past a park where some boys whom Shaya knew were playing baseball. Shaya asked, "Do you think they will let me play?"
Shaya's father knew that his son was not at all athletic and that most boys would not want him on their team. But Shaya's father also understood that if his son was chosen to play it would give him a comfortable sense of belonging. Shaya's father approached one of the boys in the field and asked if Shaya could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his team mates. 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."
Shaya's father was ecstatic as Shaya smiled broadly. Shaya was told to put on a glove and go out to play short centre 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 with the potential winning run 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 given the bat. Everyone knew that it was all but impossible because 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 a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shaya should at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shaya swung clumsily and missed. One of Shaya's team mates 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 toward Shaya. As the pitch came in, Shaya and his team mate swung at the ball 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 beyond reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, "Shaya, run to first. 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 the still-running Shaya.
But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions were so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head. Everyone yelled, "Run to second, 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 short stop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base and shouted, "Run to third." As Shaya rounded third the boys from both teams ran behind him screaming, "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 a "grand slam" and won the game for his team.
"That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "those 18 boys reached their level of God's perfection."
The rabbi who wrote the story about Shaya said it's a true story told to him by the boy's father. The snopes commentator yammers on and on about how condescending the story is ...blah, blah, blah. I find her view cynical and too politically correct even for me. :)
Thanks for posting that, LG. And Sudo, I liked the one you posted, too, even if it was to take a poke at the one LG posted. (Maybe it wasn't, but it does seem that way.)
If you ever want to have your heart broken and uplifted at the same time, go to the Special Olympics. A few pats on the back and the cheers of loved ones and strangers go a long way toward making the special kids who run, jump, and wheel themselves around a track with their whole hearts feel proud.
Hats off to the kids and coaches in that Texas town. A cynic may call what they did "a pat on the hand" (snopes). I call it compassion and kindness.
I wasn't poking fun at LG or his story. I LOVED his story. It just reminded me of the one I posted as it was similar. As Snopes sez... it coulda' happened just like the rabbi said so I posted it. Man... I'm sorry I even brought it up.
I guess I should explain the original contents of the post I edited out and why I did it. First, I'll explain why I posted the original story.
I was browsing the Dallas Morning News website today, as I do almost every day. I saw a story about something that actually happened just this Friday night. I thought that some people at GS might enjoy reading it, so I posted it as what I considered it to be, "Just a nice story." I didn't intend it to convey a lesson, and certainly not the lesson of the Shaya story.
The story from Snopes irritated me for two reasons. One was that it was from an urban legends site, which seemed to suggest that the story I posted might be of questionable veracity. Yes, I took that as an insult, though I see now that Sudo did not intend it as such. The other thing that irritated me was its lesson. Even as a child, such lessons said more to me about God being cruel than about people "reaching their level of God's perfection" by showing kindness. How in the world would God's cruelly causing a child to be born disabled teach anyone about His kindness? It didn't make sense when I was a child and no priest, nun, or lay teacher could ever satisfactorily answer that question. Even TWI's take on such things (which I don't agree with, either) makes more sense to me than that.
After reading the story Sudo posted, I wanted to respond, but I couldn't seem to compose a civil post, so I settled (briefly) on simply posting, "Not the point." Sudo asked what I meant, in a post that has since mysteriously vanished. At the time, I didn't feel like discussing it, so I just replaced "Not the point." with "-". So now I offer my explanation.
Sudo, I misunderstood your intent, and I was initially offended. Now I am not. I like the story you posted, but I don't like the lesson it seeks to teach.
Actually, I agree with you in most respects. I saw the story I posted as one of how people.. even children who can be the MOST cruel... can have a better nature when called upon. The fact that the rabbi saw it as God's work or some such is the stuff that I routinely hear and let roll off my back. People say God blessed them for this or that. God DIDN'T bless them for this or that. I hardly even hear what they're saying when they get into whatever it is that the Almighty has or hasn't done for (or to) them, LG. People are superstitious and like to invoke their god(s) for their purposes. I understand this well. Living in a theistic society I try to go along to get along and am thankful that most folks' god(s) in this country aren't demanding they sacrifice children or some such.
So if some rabbi is ascribing to Jehova the actions of a few boys playing baseball... well I've heard it all before. And to tell you the truth, LG, I hardly hear that religious talk. I thought it was neat that those boys were so nice to a boy that would normally get picked on. Like I said... I'm sorry I even brought it up because now I've highly offended our religious readers in explaining my actions and no one's paying attention to the two heart warming stories posted <_>
Having done things with Special O, and the disabled community in other athletic events, both of these stories show the heart and caring that some give unconditionally to others. :)
...I'm sorry I even brought it up because now I've highly offended our religious readers in explaining my actions and no one's paying attention to the two heart warming stories posted <_<.
<center>sudo</center>
Nah, Sudo, I'm not highly offended. Your view that my faith is mere superstition is something I've grown accustomed to hearing from you. My heart's still warmed by the two stories. And frankly, I'd rather rub elbows with a couple of kind and honest guys like you and LG than with some of the religious hypocrites I've met who are only outwardly kind. I don't think atheism/agnosticism are contagious.
Well, Sudo, I can understand why people were upset with the Snopes posting. The primary function of the site seems to be that of debunking myths (not that I have a problem with that). Your original post didn't indicate whether it was true or not, therefore, people tend to assume the negative. So, in conjunction with LG's thread starter, it appeared you were poking fun at it.
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Sudo
LG,
Here's another one I got from Snopes.com
In Brooklyn, New York, Chush is a school that caters to children with learning disabilities. Some children remain in Chush for their entire school career while others can transfer into conventional schools. At a Chush fund-raising dinner the father of a Chush child delivered a speech that always be remembered by all who attended.
After extolling the school and its dedicated staff he cried out, "Where is the perfection in my son Shaya? Everything 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 the 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:
One afternoon, Shaya and his father walked past a park where some boys whom Shaya knew were playing baseball. Shaya asked, "Do you think they will let me play?"
Shaya's father knew that his son was not at all athletic and that most boys would not want him on their team. But Shaya's father also understood that if his son was chosen to play it would give him a comfortable sense of belonging. Shaya's father approached one of the boys in the field and asked if Shaya could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his team mates. 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."
Shaya's father was ecstatic as Shaya smiled broadly. Shaya was told to put on a glove and go out to play short centre 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 with the potential winning run 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 given the bat. Everyone knew that it was all but impossible because 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 a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shaya should at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shaya swung clumsily and missed. One of Shaya's team mates 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 toward Shaya. As the pitch came in, Shaya and his team mate swung at the ball 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 beyond reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, "Shaya, run to first. 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 the still-running Shaya.
But the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions were so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head. Everyone yelled, "Run to second, 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 short stop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base and shouted, "Run to third." As Shaya rounded third the boys from both teams ran behind him screaming, "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 a "grand slam" and won the game for his team.
"That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "those 18 boys reached their level of God's perfection."
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LG
-
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excathedra
what a beautiful story
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excathedra
how did you manage to delete your post sudo ?
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coolchef1248 @adelphia.net
tears in my eyes reading both of those stories
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WordWolf
Sudo?
LG posted a story that DID appear in the
"Dallas Morning News"
and did NOT appear on Snopes.
(I checked Snopes, and did a news search and got the Dallas Morning News link.)
Was there a relevance to attaching an urban legend
to LG's real news story?
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excathedra
there was another little post by sudo, where did it go ?
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Sudo
Wordwolf,
Naw naw naw... MY post came from snopes... click HERE!
P.S. Posts around here sometimes end up in the same place as those un-mated socks in the dryer, Excathedra :D
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excathedra
i thought we couldn't delete posts any longer. am i mistaken ? did i miss something ?
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Linda Z
Both stories brought tears to my eyes.
The rabbi who wrote the story about Shaya said it's a true story told to him by the boy's father. The snopes commentator yammers on and on about how condescending the story is ...blah, blah, blah. I find her view cynical and too politically correct even for me. :)
Thanks for posting that, LG. And Sudo, I liked the one you posted, too, even if it was to take a poke at the one LG posted. (Maybe it wasn't, but it does seem that way.)
If you ever want to have your heart broken and uplifted at the same time, go to the Special Olympics. A few pats on the back and the cheers of loved ones and strangers go a long way toward making the special kids who run, jump, and wheel themselves around a track with their whole hearts feel proud.
Hats off to the kids and coaches in that Texas town. A cynic may call what they did "a pat on the hand" (snopes). I call it compassion and kindness.
Edited by Linda ZLink to comment
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Sudo
Geeze Louise!!!
I wasn't poking fun at LG or his story. I LOVED his story. It just reminded me of the one I posted as it was similar. As Snopes sez... it coulda' happened just like the rabbi said so I posted it. Man... I'm sorry I even brought it up.
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excathedra
i just want to know how your little post got deleted, sudo
long gone said that wasn't the point
and you asked him to explain, please
now i know those 2 exchanges caused me a lot of stress
i just want to know where they went.....
anyone know ?
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LG
I guess I should explain the original contents of the post I edited out and why I did it. First, I'll explain why I posted the original story.
I was browsing the Dallas Morning News website today, as I do almost every day. I saw a story about something that actually happened just this Friday night. I thought that some people at GS might enjoy reading it, so I posted it as what I considered it to be, "Just a nice story." I didn't intend it to convey a lesson, and certainly not the lesson of the Shaya story.
The story from Snopes irritated me for two reasons. One was that it was from an urban legends site, which seemed to suggest that the story I posted might be of questionable veracity. Yes, I took that as an insult, though I see now that Sudo did not intend it as such. The other thing that irritated me was its lesson. Even as a child, such lessons said more to me about God being cruel than about people "reaching their level of God's perfection" by showing kindness. How in the world would God's cruelly causing a child to be born disabled teach anyone about His kindness? It didn't make sense when I was a child and no priest, nun, or lay teacher could ever satisfactorily answer that question. Even TWI's take on such things (which I don't agree with, either) makes more sense to me than that.
After reading the story Sudo posted, I wanted to respond, but I couldn't seem to compose a civil post, so I settled (briefly) on simply posting, "Not the point." Sudo asked what I meant, in a post that has since mysteriously vanished. At the time, I didn't feel like discussing it, so I just replaced "Not the point." with "-". So now I offer my explanation.
Sudo, I misunderstood your intent, and I was initially offended. Now I am not. I like the story you posted, but I don't like the lesson it seeks to teach.
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Radar OReilly
I am with you Exxie :unsure: :unsure: :unsure: :unsure: :blink: :blink: :blink:
ror
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excathedra
well now i thought something sinister was at work here
please forgive me
i was wondering why sudo's snoopie doopie didn't get deleted
my bad
hi ror
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Radar OReilly
I didnt think anything was sinister......I am just as confused as hell.......so what else is new <_<
Hi Exxie,
ror
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Sudo
LG,
Actually, I agree with you in most respects. I saw the story I posted as one of how people.. even children who can be the MOST cruel... can have a better nature when called upon. The fact that the rabbi saw it as God's work or some such is the stuff that I routinely hear and let roll off my back. People say God blessed them for this or that. God DIDN'T bless them for this or that. I hardly even hear what they're saying when they get into whatever it is that the Almighty has or hasn't done for (or to) them, LG. People are superstitious and like to invoke their god(s) for their purposes. I understand this well. Living in a theistic society I try to go along to get along and am thankful that most folks' god(s) in this country aren't demanding they sacrifice children or some such.
So if some rabbi is ascribing to Jehova the actions of a few boys playing baseball... well I've heard it all before. And to tell you the truth, LG, I hardly hear that religious talk. I thought it was neat that those boys were so nice to a boy that would normally get picked on. Like I said... I'm sorry I even brought it up because now I've highly offended our religious readers in explaining my actions and no one's paying attention to the two heart warming stories posted <_>
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excathedra
oh well no one pays much attention to things that matter anyway
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excathedra
radar wanna talk about confused, i thought this thread said "put me in the coach"
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krys
recompute please dear exxie....many of us consider these as important matters
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dmiller
Having done things with Special O, and the disabled community in other athletic events, both of these stories show the heart and caring that some give unconditionally to others. :)
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Linda Z
Nah, Sudo, I'm not highly offended. Your view that my faith is mere superstition is something I've grown accustomed to hearing from you. My heart's still warmed by the two stories. And frankly, I'd rather rub elbows with a couple of kind and honest guys like you and LG than with some of the religious hypocrites I've met who are only outwardly kind. I don't think atheism/agnosticism are contagious.
:)
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Sushi
Well, Sudo, I can understand why people were upset with the Snopes posting. The primary function of the site seems to be that of debunking myths (not that I have a problem with that). Your original post didn't indicate whether it was true or not, therefore, people tend to assume the negative. So, in conjunction with LG's thread starter, it appeared you were poking fun at it.
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Sudo
Sushi,
Well, guess it was my fault then. But hey.. you didn't mention whether or not you liked the stories!
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