This week was Valentine's Day. Whether you celebrate it or not, it is a time that we should all reflect upon the love and blessings in our lives. Whether receiving a card, candy, or text might not seem like a lot to some people, I appreciate those who have remembered me enough to make the effort.
It is now that I would like to share a story about a starfish.
While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in the distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean.Reach out and tell people you love them. Check on a friend, call your parents, be there for those when they need you. Make a difference for one person and you can change their life.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back into the water.He came closer still and called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The young man paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”The old man smiled, and said, “I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?”To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”
The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another starfish, threw it into the back into the ocean past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.”
