Making a Difference

The Starfish Story Original Story by: Loren Eisley

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and

gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?" The

youth replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I

don't throw them back, they?ll die." "Son," the man said, "don't you realize there are miles and

miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't make a difference!" After listening politely,

the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at

the man, he said, "I made a difference for that one."