May Your Day, Be a Shay Day

這是一篇我在辦公室看到鼻酸的故事, 即使文中的轉折戲劇化地不行, 但是你知道人生有時候會比銀幕還精采, 不管它是不是真的, 文章想表達的人性中最重要最為人珍視也最不易彰顯的光輝, 我真的有被感動到, 請耐心的看完...謝謝!

最後面的附註我覺得算是非常有誠意的, 而且寫的很美。能看到最後，也不妨看一下footnote。

Two Choices 兩個選擇

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?

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？

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:

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：

"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection.

照理說在無外力干擾下，大自然所創造的一切都是完美的。

Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do.

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。

Where is the natural order of things in my son?" The audience was stilled by the query.

在我孩子身上，大自然的法則何在？所有聽眾都啞口無言。

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:

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：

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.

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。

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.'

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局設法讓他上場打擊。”

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.

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。

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.

在8局下，西恩的隊友追了上來，但仍然還輸3分。

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.

第9局上半場，西恩戴上手套防守右外野，雖然没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的合不攏嘴。

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.

在9局下，西恩的球隊又得分了。

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

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。

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

在這個重要關頭，他們會讓西恩上場打擊而放棄贏球的機會嗎？

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.

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。

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.

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。

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.

第一球投出來，西恩笨拙的揮棒落空。

The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.

投手又再往前走了幾步投出一個軟軟的球給西恩。

As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

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。

The game would now be over.

球賽眼看就要結束。

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.

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。

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.

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。

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

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！＂

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

西恩這輩子從來没有跑這麼遠過，但他還是努力跑到了一壘。

He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

他踩上壘包眼睛張的很大而且很驚喜。

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'

每個人都喊著說：＂西恩，跑向二壘，跑向二壘！＂

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.

剛喘過氣，西恩蹣跚的跑向二壘，很辛苦的往壘包跑。

By 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.

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。

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.

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。

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

當前面的跑者往本壘跑時，西恩跌跌撞撞的往三壘跑。

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'

大家都大喊著，＂西恩，跑下去，跑下去。

＂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!'

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。

＂As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!'

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！

＂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.

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的比賽的英雄般。

'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'.

＂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。

＂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!

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

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO THIS STORY:

現在；是關於這個故事的一點附註：

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.

我們不假思索的用email把數以千計的笑話傳來傳去，但當我們遇到要傳送有關生命的選擇的信件時，我們反而感到猶豫了。

The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces.

粗俗、野蠻和經常是有點淫穢的東西每天在網路上無限制的傳播著，反而高尚的事情的討論卻在學校裡及辦公室裡被壓抑著。

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.

如果你在思考著把這封email轉寄出去，可能你會在你的連絡人上挑選出那些不適合收到這封信的人，然而把這封email寄給你的人相信我們可以讓世界變的不一樣。

We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.'

我們每天都有無數的機會可以協助去體現大自然的法則。

So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice:

很多人與人之間微不足道的互動都是一個選擇的機會。

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?

到底我們是把愛和人性的光輝傳遞下去，或者放棄這些機會使得這世界一點點的更冷漠。

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

有一個智者說過；要評價一個社會就要看這個社會如何去對待他們之中最不幸的人。

You now have two choices:

所以現在你有兩個選擇；

1. Delete