For the last two days I have seen this story pop up when I was
on line. As I reflected on the story of the
starfish it seemed good to share it.
A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands
of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each
starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People
watched her with amusement.
She had been doing this for some time when a man approached
her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You
can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”
The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few
moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she
could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made
a difference to that one!”
The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought
about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in
throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish
were saved.
— Adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren C. Eiseley
For me this is a story of perseverance. Perseverance against great odds and against
the criticism of others is at the very heart of our lives. The understanding that we hold in our hands
the power to change a life, a mind, or a circumstance today – right now – is a
powerful insight and motivator. The idealism of youth is a powerful force for
leading change in the world. Often it is our youth who put into action values
that we have instilled in them – but have failed to act on ourselves. We have seen
this many times in our youth as they march for various causes and are willing
to work for justice and solidarity. May we
have the courage to make a difference this day and every day.
Pat Schfini, OSU
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