Baseball is America's pastime. Youve probably heard the old adage, so-in-so is American as baseball and apple pie. Kids play it while growing up and many of us are loyal to the Braves (and in my case, the Giants) for life. Simply put, Americans love their baseball. But for many children with disabilities, baseball is only a dream.

The Newton County Recreation Commission, backed by many community leaders, is working very hard to make that dream a reality. For the past three years, there has been a serious push to bring a Miracle League facility to Newton County. For those of you who dont know what Im talking about, the Miracle League is a league for youths with disabilities. But in order for those with disabilities to play in it, there must be a specially designed facility to accommodate wheelchairs and other challenges children with disabilities face.

If we bring nothing else to Newton County in the near future, we need to bring in this facility. Sure, a lot of local residents including myself would love to see a Target or a couple of new restaurants come to the county but those endeavors arent as needed as a Miracle League field.

Bringing a Miracle League field here will do so much for those children who will use it. Think about it for a second. We face pressures in life every day. We face financial problems and are always wondering whether we will have a job each day because as you all know, nothing in this world is guaranteed and the economy doesnt seem to be getting any better. We face constraints in our personal relationships and how many of you feel good about your retirement fund? But these problems pale in comparison to a family that lives an entirely different life in order to accommodate a child with special needs.

The next time you are struggling with what brand of HDTV you want to purchase, take a second to think about the Miracle League concept and more importantly, the children who will never understand the value of a $2,000 TV. I'm not saying you should walk out of the store and head down to the Rec. Department at Turner Lake and write them a check instead. I'm simply saying you should think about whats important in life. These children had no choice being born with a disability. Conversely, if you are reading this, you are one of the fortunate ones like me to be disability free.

Its our duty to understand that the daily trials and tribulations are part of life, but they dont define it. If you can help, you are more than welcome to. We wont run a story on it and I doubt anyone outside of Tommy Haileys staff at Turner Lake will ever know. But you will know inside that you really did help make a difference. Thats making a miracle a reality.