31/10/2025
CAN YOU SAVE A STARFISH?
Parable
An old man was doing his daily walk along the beach one morning, when he spotted a young boy crouched by the water, scooping something up from the sand and throwing it into the sea.
The beach was normally empty at this time of day, and so the old man stopped to watch for a while.
He noticed that the boy kept on shuffling a little further down the beach, then repeating this same action again and again – stopping, scooping, throwing, moving.
“What are you doing there, boy?” the old man asked, walking closer.
“I’m saving these starfish that are stranded” replied the boy, “if they stay on the beach they will dry out and die, so I’m putting them back into the ocean so they can live.”
The old man was silent for a few seconds.
“Young man,” he said, “on this stretch of the beach alone, there must be more than one hundred stranded starfish. Around the next corner, there must be at least one thousand more. This goes on for miles and miles and miles – I’ve done this walk every day for 10 years, and it’s always the same. There must be millions of stranded starfish! I hate to say it, but you’ll never make a difference.”
The boy replied “well I just made a difference for that one”, and continued with his work.
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You don't need to do grand things to make a difference. Every small thing has a ripple effect. Find your tribe, do what you love, save a starfish.
Service above self.
Photo credit: Rotary Club of Laurieton
Photo description: Rach in a floral dress and green sparkly shoes sitting in her wheelchair, John is beside her in a blue shirt and jeans. They are looking at Graham, Rotary Club of Laurieton President as he inducts them into Rotary.
