Saturday, March 26, 2005

Warms the cockles of your heart

Received this email through (Thx Paul)

Don't know if it's a true story or not but I really, really hope so.


>Subject: This is what its all about!!!
>
>
>
>A Little Story
>
>You make the choice. Don't look for a punch line. There isn't one. Read it
>anyway.
>
>My question to all of you is: Would you have made the same choice?
>
>At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children,
>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 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 his father had walked past a park
>where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball.
>
>Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?"
>
>Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on
>their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to
>play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging. Shay's father
>approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play.
>
>The boy looked around for guidance and, getting none, he took matters into
>his own hands 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."
>
>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 outfield.
>
>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 his father 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, 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 'cause 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 moved in a few steps
>to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to 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 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 took the ball and turned and threw the ball on a high
>arc to right field, far beyond the reach of the first baseman.
>
>Everyone started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!"
>
>Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. He scampered down the
>baseline, wide-eyed and startled.
>
>Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
>
>By the time Shay rounded first base, the right fielder had the ball.
>
>He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he
>understood the pitcher's intentions and intentionally threw the ball high
>and far over the third-baseman's head.
>
>Shay ran toward second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled
>the bases toward home.
>
>Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in
>the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third!"
>
>As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming, "Shay, 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."
>
>AND, NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE 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 think twice about sharing.
>
>The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but
>public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and
>workplaces.
>
>If you're thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that you're
>probably sorting out the people on your address list that 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 that
>opportunity, and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?

>Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble
>remembering how to fly.

Ethics

Not content with getting green power (see below) I've also been updating my finances. over the last few weeks I've switched from lloydsTSB who have been my bank since before TSB were taken over by Lloyds to having a current account from Smile. Then taking out a mini ISA which now had a higher rate of interest as I had another account with Smile, which in turn gives a higher rate of interest on the current account. A no notice savings account as an emergency store and a new credit card have completed Smile's takeover of my wallet.

The transfer has been painless so far and I've taken the opportunity to cancel a standing order that I didn't really need anymore.

Just need to get that pension sorted now ...

Green power

In another of my doing something extra, we have switched to Juice from npower. Didn't cost a penny and the leccy we use is matched by North Hoyle Offshore Wind Farm. N-power also have other energy saving ideas on their website.

If you are looking to go green with your power, head over to uswitch. Just been looking at this for the in-laws and found that we could save them up to £150 to switch to a green power supplier.

No reason not to switch now.