The Starfish Poem
There was a young man walking down a deserted beach one morning just before dawn. In the distance he saw a frail old man. As he approached the old man, he saw him picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back into the sea. The young man gazed in wonder as again and again the old man threw the small starfish from the sand to the water.
The young man asked “why do you spend so much energy doing what seems to be a waste of time?” The old man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun. “But there must be thousands of beaches and millions of starfish,” exclaimed the young man. “How can your effort make any difference?”
The old man looked down at the small starfish in his hand, and as he threw it to the safety of the sea, he said “It makes a difference to this one.”
We see it in our communities, at school, and in the news. Substance abuse, underage drinking, violence, bullying… These issues can be so overwhelming that, often, we don’t even know where to start. We think, “How can my efforts make any difference at all? I’m just one person.”
That’s where the starfish comes in.
No matter how daunting the problem, one person really can make a difference. One person reaching out in kindness and respect. One person who won’t give up, even when others doubt her. One person who starts right where he lives. Each of us has the power to change a life and make a difference.