Thursday, December 23, 2010 — — —— — —— — —— — —— — —— — —— — — Winter Edition #148

Russell R. Shippee
Author, Speaker, Life Coach

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As we wind down for Christmas, today's article is well worth your time. It's a story about Shay, and yet it's about all of us. We are all Shay as well as being players on the team.

Cathy&Russell

Cathy & Russell

Celebrate the meaning of Christmas, Chanukah, and all the other holiday names. While many names, it all comes down to people, relationships, family, love, forgiveness, and gratitude. Some of these are easier to express than others. Maybe that is why we get a new chance every year.

For those of you dreaming of warm weather and relaxation—St John, US Virgin Islands, is the place to be in January. Cathy and I have been going for twenty years and this January is no different. We look forward to being there from the 1st until the 15th. If your thoughts are on an island vacation you may be delighted to know there's a studio available from January 15th until the 22nd. It's perfect for 2 people. The normal rate is $2,995. You can have it for $2,495. Call quick before it is taken. Never been to St John? It is a small wonderful island with magnificent beaches, great restaurants, and no stop lights. Interested? GO HERE See the details and then call Steven Bass directly.

The gift of yourself, your time, your attention, and your caring is the most valuable gift you can give, and the most valuable gift anyone can receive.

Thanks for being part of our growing family of newsletter subscribers. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you and look forward to 2011.

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PS: Remember, If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Join our Planning Teleseminar on either January 24, 2010— 12 pm or January 25, 2010 - 3 pm ET —CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP ---It's free to all of YOU, our newsletter subscribers.

Inspiring Quotations

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

-Albert Einstein

"It doesn't matter where you are coming from. 
All that matters is where you are going."

— Brian Tracy

"Be careful the environment you choose, for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose, for you will become like them."

-W. Clement Stone

"Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend. "

-Albert Camus

"Treasure the love you receive above all. It will survive long after your gold and good health have vanished."

-Og Mandino

Be sure to read the article, it's great. Pop didn't write it!

Kids do these things. Sure we hurt one another sometimes and that gets the press. But, kids do help kids. We know how good it feels to be helped and to help. Remember?

Because Pop didn't write the article he should have time to take me out to do my Christmas shopping. I'll sure to glad when I get my license to drive.

Have a Question/Comment for Cameron?

HO HO HO
Be sure to leave cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer.
Cameron
Happy Holidays
to everyone
everywhere!


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Spotlight Article
MAKE A CHOICE

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.


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. 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!

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