How a Story Can Dramatically Change Your Life

A man who has helped many people recently died.  His name was Wayne Dyer.    If you don’t know who Wayne was, you might want to do a quick YouTube search after you read this.  Wayne was a self-help author and motivational speaker.  His first book, Your Erroneous Zones (1976), is one of the best-selling books of all time with an estimated 35 million copies sold to date.  He started out as a high school guidance counselor and later had a private therapy practice.

Many people loved Wayne’s content and message but others did not.  Just like anything else, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  In fact, Wayne was sued for plagiarism in 2010.  That’s why the first sentence said, “A person who has helped many people recently died,” not “A perfect person who has helped many people…”

One thing is for sure, Wayne was an incredible speaker whose message helped countless people.

A great example is a story Wayne told many times.  This story is very emotional, and Wayne once said he had a hard time not tearing up every time he told it.  There are several videos on YouTube of Wayne telling this particular story.  One of the most impressive things are all the comments underneath those videos saying how hearing Wayne tell this story made them cry and/or changed their life.

It was The Shaya Story… and here is the shortened version…

Shaya was a student at a school for disabled children. Shaya’s father was very upset and questioned many things about life after seeing his son not be able to do the common things other children could.

One day, Shaya and his father walked past a park where some boys Shaya knew were playing baseball.  Shaya’s father asked the boys if his son could play with them.  One boy said his team was losing by six runs and it was already the eighth inning.  He said he would take Shaya on his team and try to let him bat in the 9th.  Shaya’s team scored several runs, and in the 9th inning, the bases were loaded with the winning run on base.  Surprisingly, they gave Shaya a bat. He did not even know how to hold it.

He stepped up to the plate and the pitcher lobbed one in, obviously trying to be nice.  It did not help, Shaya missed badly.  One of Shaya’s teammates ran in and stepped up to the plate with Shaya.  Here is how the story ended:

“The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shaya.  As the pitch came in, Shaya and his teammate swung the bat and together they hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher.  The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman.  Shaya would have been out and that would have ended the game.  Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond reach of the first baseman.  Everyone started yelling, ‘Shaya, run to first.  Run to first.’ Never in his life had Shaya run so fast.  He scampered down the baseline wide-eyed and startled.  By the time he reached first base, the right-fielder had the ball.  He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman who could tag Shaya out, who was still running.

“But the right-fielder understood what the pitcher’s intentions were, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman’s head.  Everyone yelled, ‘Run to second.  Run to second.’  Shaya ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home.  As Shaya reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base and shouted, ‘Run to third.’  As Shaya rounded third, the boys from both teams ran behind him screaming, ‘Shaya run home.’  Shaya ran home, stepped on home plate and all 18 boys lifted him on their shoulders and made him the hero, as he had just hit a ‘grand slam’ and won the game for his team.”

Wayne said this story was true.  If it is true or not, it does not really matter.  What matters is the effect the message has on people – maybe even you.

We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger! Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!