The Sea Star Story

THE SEA STAR STORY - - 

NOTE: I'm unsure as to where I first heard this..but I do remember being struck by it. 
It's pretty powerful.

I used it when talking with teachers about working with children with learning/social issues:

One bright morning, just as the sun was peeping over the horizon, an old man walked across a sandy beach. Looking across the pebbles he spotted a young man running towards the waves and throwing something into the deep blue sea.

Curious, he walked towards the young man.

As he got closer, he watched the young man turn, bend over, and pick up a stranded sea star, and throw it as far as he could into the sea.

The old man gazed in wonder as the man, again and again, threw more small sea stars from the sandy beach to the sea. 

The old man walked up to the young man and asked him why he spent so much energy doing what seemed a waste of time.

The young man explained that the sea stars would die if left in the bright morning sun.

The old man asked: 'But there are thousands of miles of beaches and millions of sea stars. How can your efforts make a difference?’

The young man looked down at a small sea star in his hand, and then threw it to safety in the sea.

'Well, sir,’ he said, 'it sure makes a difference to that one……………’