It’s the Giants vs. Dodgers. I already missed the first pitch and my friend was waiting
for me in our seats. I was a good
20 minutes late. In a hurry, I got
inside the ballpark and sought an available usher for confirmation about how to
get to my seat—stat! I spotted one standing near an elevator who said “Welcome
to AT&T. How can I help you?”
Nearly out of breath I almost threw my ticket stub at him. Calm and collected, he said to me “Can
you just tell me where your seat section and seat number.” I relayed the information about the Club
Level; he told me precisely how to get there. Perfect directions.
I marched to my seat and I started to cry.
The tears weren’t because I was stressed out. They weren’t because, well, I had been a little pushy. No, they were because
at the same moment this usher politely informed me he doesn’t see very well, I
realized he is blind.
I was humbled. Society
might see what he can’t do. The
San Francisco Giants see what he can.
The month of October brings much to celebrate. For the Giants, it began as the “Hunt for
Orange October.” And this year, orange
trumped red—both Cincinnati and Cardinal red. A four-game sweep in Detroit confirmed why this town deserved
to be painted orange—from the lights on City Hall and Coit tower to every other
shirt, scarf or tie. It’s not even Halloween—yet!
In the Catholic Church, October is the month of the Rosary
and most poignantly, Respect for Life month. It is a time that we redouble our efforts to recognize and proclaim that human life is a
precious gift from God. Blessed John Paul II wrote “Each person who receives
this gift has responsibilities toward God, self and others. Society, through
its laws and social institutions, must protect and nurture human life at every
stage of its existence.”
A wide spectrum of issues touches on the protection of
human life and the promotion of human dignity. As Pope John Paul II has
reminded us: “Where life is involved, the service of charity must be profoundly
consistent. It cannot tolerate bias and discrimination, for human life is
sacred and inviolable at every stage and in every situation; it is an
indivisible good” (The Gospel of Life,
#87).
It may sound like a stretch, but I see the San Francisco
Giants as an organization that is promoting the
Gospel of Life. The
obvious example can be found among the many Giants who give their time charitable
organizations like Not For Sale or
St. Anthony’s soup kitchen. Others use their celebrity status as a
platform not for personal profit but as a means to leverage social support and
generate interest in those groups. But I appreciate that one need not leave the ballpark to see
Respect for Life in action. I met it first hand in the usher who
helped me. Perhaps you read about
another in the article run in the Marin IJ “
Giants World Series run provides aspecial finish to memorable season for mother-son ushers.
“Peter Magowan (former Giants managing general partner)
was a big advocate (for creating opportunities for disabled employees),” said
Rick Mears, team vice president for guest services.
“It’s been a focus of the Giants for years. We have 40 or 50 positions around
the ballpark that allow for disabled employees and we try to make sure they are
all filled every season.”
Mears said Harry Siebert, the former director of guest
services, was key in helping disabled employees excel with the team. Siebert
died earlier this year after battling muscular dystrophy throughout his life.
“It’s still tough for me to talk about losing him,” Mears
said. “Harry was here every day, sometimes 80 or 90 hours a week, in physical
pain that we can’t imagine. He made sure it was part of his job to ensure that
all (disabled employees) were comfortable and put in situations where they
could succeed. He treated them like every other employee. We couldn’t do this without them.”
The employee I encountered was put in position where he
could succeed. So is Ricky Carroll
who with his mother Glenda has served as an usher at Giant games the past seven
years. For Ricky, 28, who is developmentally disabled, finding a job with
the Giants has been a dream come true. When a liaison from Integrated Community Services in San Rafael asked
him what kind of job he would like to find, he told them his dream job would be
to work for the Giants. Ricky told them he wanted to be an usher.
The role of an usher is one I never take for granted. A good one will ensure optimal
experience for fans—their safety, viewing and overall enjoyment of
the game. I appreciate seeing
folks who are retired taking pleasure in their work and assisting fellow fans as much as I
enjoyed meeting Max, an usher with Downs Syndrome. It appeared as though Max had never met a stranger. He worked hard at both helping fans and
at cheering for the Giants.
Whenever I see someone like Max, I am humbly reminded that he is a survivor.
Although the numbers have been reported as high as 92%,
Why So Many Babies are Still Being Born With Down Syndrome confirms that 60% to
90% of women who discover their child has Downs decide to abort. The Gospel of Life affirms that life is
a gift, a sacred one. Max’s life
IS a gift. Who knew that when I go
to a baseball game, I am humbly reminded of the wonders of this precious gift
from unlikely people in unlikely faces.
A Prayer for Life
Father and maker of
all,
you adorn all creation
with splendor and beauty,
and fashion human lives
in your image and likeness.
Awaken in every heart
reverence for the work of your hands,
and renew among your people
a readiness to nurture and sustain
your precious gift of life.
Grant this through
our Lord Jesus
Christ, your Son, who lives and
reigns with you in the unity of the
Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
Amen.
Photo Credits
Orange October
Oct is Respect for Life Month
Jeremy Affeldt