SLIMNAZI

I dare you not to cry. My son Andrew will never get married, have his own children, or drive a car, and he won’t do many things most people take for granted. But he is happy and healthy, and that is all that matters to me. When a stranger waves at him, it makes my day. When someone smiles at him, you can see the joy not just in his face, but in his whole body. Being a good human doesn’t take much. Now the story: At a party organized by a school for children with special needs, a father gave a speech that touched everyone who heard it. After praising the school and the staff, he said: "When nothing interferes with nature, things naturally fall into place." Then he asked, "But my son Herbert cannot learn like other children. He cannot understand things the same way. Where is the natural order of things in my son?" The audience was silent. He continued, "I believe when a child like Herbert, who is physically and mentally disabled, comes into the world, it gives us a chance to see human nature. It shows in the way other people treat that child." He then told a story about one day when he walked with Herbert near a park where children were playing baseball. Herbert asked him, "Dad, do you think they’ll let me play?" The father knew most kids wouldn’t want Herbert on their team, but he also knew if they let him play, Herbert would feel included and accepted, gaining confidence despite his differences. The father asked one of the kids playing if Herbert could join. The boy looked around and said, "We’re losing by six runs, and it’s the eighth inning. I guess he can join and we’ll put him up to bat in the ninth." Herbert slowly went to the bench, smiling, and put on the team jersey. His father watched with tears in his eyes. The other kids noticed the father’s happiness and it made them happy too. By the ninth inning, Herbert was playing in right field. No ball came to him, but he was thrilled to be part of the game. He smiled from ear to ear while his father cheered. At the last moment, Herbert’s team had a chance to win, and Herbert was up to bat. They let him swing, even though no one expected him to hit the ball. The pitcher threw the ball gently. Herbert swung awkwardly the first time and missed. On the second pitch, he made contact, and the ball fell in front of the pitcher. The pitcher didn’t throw it to first base. He threw it high, so Herbert could run. The crowd cheered, "Run to first, run to first!" Herbert ran, then to second, then third. Everyone cheered and encouraged him. By the time he reached home plate, Herbert stood with his arms up, smiling, and everyone hugged and celebrated him like a hero. The father said with tears: "That day, the children from both teams showed true love and kindness." Herbert didn’t live another summer. He passed away that winter, but he never forgot that he had been a hero and made his father very happy. A note about this story: We send hundreds of jokes by email without thinking, but when a message about life’s lessons comes, we hesitate. If you forward this, it can make a difference. Every day we have chances to show kindness and help others. This is one of those chances. A wise person once said, "Every society will be judged by how it treats the least fortunate." Credit to the original owner.