choices

Another beauty of a forward sent by a wiseman that I'm sharing with you:

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 children with learning disabilities, 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, who was mentally and physically disabled 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 I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my 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.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. 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 and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my 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 I 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 that the other team was 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 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.

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 first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.

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

Run to first!'

Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he 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 the base.

B y the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball . the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.

He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so 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 because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning 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 the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! 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. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE 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 hesitate.

If you're thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that you're probably sorting out the people in your address book who 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 those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.

You now have two choices:

1. Delete

2. Forward

May your day, be a Shay Day.

Should India Be Concerned About a Paranoid Neighbour

Unfortunately for India,it has many paranoid neighbours and the Indian leadership never taking them as a threat seriously,has led to the few wars and skirmishes on our borders.No,I'm not talking about Pakistan or China,or Nepal.Yes even they are in the running for India's enemy no.1 title.This time I'm writing about a country which most Indians have forgotten or don't think of it as a threat.Well,think again.After reading what I write,you will think again.

I'm talking about Myanmar.No,no its not the 'Myan' in Urdu meaning the sheath in which swords are kept,but Myanmar or erstwhile Burma.We will refer to it as Burma for the sake of convenience.On and off I've been hearing of Burma growing as a military and a nuclear power.Out of sheer ignorance I scoffed at it and said "Burma what"?When I read a few articles about Burma in the local newspapers,I was shocked.
Burma is the largest country in terms of geographical area in mainland South-east Asia and also the 40th largest country in the world.Shocked?This is just the beginning.It's predominantly Buddhist and is a military governed country since 1962.
That was a blast into the past.In today's age,Burma is a growing nuclear power with upto 5 nuclear reactors and equal number of plants.It seems that for years Burmese men have been sent to Russia to study nuclear weaponry and how a nuclear bomb is made etc.They have been arming themselves to the teeth and its all done very secretively.Russia has been selling nuclear plants,reactors and all equipments related to Burma.It is possible that all the logistics are facilitated from N.Korea through some secrets tunnels.That is a big concern for India as N.Korea is a protege of sorts for China and we all know China's expansionist dreams and its resentment towards India's growth since the mid 90's.I wont be surprised if they and some other anti-India nations were behind all the mishaps happening with the commonwealth preparations.Truth is heart of heart many nations don't want to see it take off.A successful commonwealth games will mean more growth for India in terms of investments and projects.Australia and China both had a boost in growth after the Olympics were hosted by them.I won't be surprised if all these mishaps were planned.It won't be far fetched.So,the thought that China is indirectly trying to arm one of our neighbours with nuclear capacity to counter India is a possibility that India cannot disregard.We have to learn from our previous mistakes which were very grave.Do we ever learn? It looks like we could,at least that's what another article on India's military might said.A few facts on the Indian Army:

Army:1.3 million
Reserve:1.16 million
Tanks: 4500
Aircraft's:600
Helicopters:530
Naval vessels:145
Nuclear weapons:60-70

All figures are an approximate but formidable.India is the largest importer of military hardware in 3rd world nations and is purchasing more and more weapons.A home made nuclear sub was launched recently without much fanfare.India's military spending has doubled in ten years.We need to get aggressive with aggressors on the borders and bargain and lobby for more support on the Kashmir issue from Big daddy without giving in too much.Not being on the security council has always gone against India,which makes China very happy.Every one wants to please China as they all have to gain from India.Offense is the best defense can be a ploy that may work to ward off aggression.We have to get rid off this pacifist label stamped on our foreheads by the British.Non-violence won't work in such situations.

India is poised to become the 3rd mightiest military in the world and without supremacy over the Indian ocean,that can't be achieved.It seems that the annual spending on Navy is only 15% and 60% for the Army.That ratio has to tilt towards the Navy's favour as the seas are important.China has a very formidable Navy too and the recent Mumbai attacks that came via the sea,shows how lacking we are in that Area.

India is surrounded by enemies from all sides;only superior technology and superior planning can keep us afloat.Jai Ho