Due to a strong storm and a receding tide thousands of starfish had stranded on the beach. Being unable to get back into the water they would surely dry out and die.
A man walking along the beach suddenly noticed a young boy. The boy was picking up one of the stranded starfish and threw it back into the sea.
Intrigued, the old man asked what the boy was doing.
“If the starfish are still on the beach when the sun gets high, they’ll die,” the boy replied, gently throwing another starfish into the waves.
The old man shook his head. “But the beach goes on for miles, and there are so many starfish stranded out here. You can’t possibly make a real difference.”
The boy paused, considering the man’s words. Then he picked up another starfish and held it out. “It makes all the difference to this one,” he said, and gently tossed the starfish into the welcoming sea. “And to this one,” as he tossed back another one. “And this one,” as he threw a third one back into the sea.
The old man watched, amazed, as the boy continued. Inspired, he joined in.
The man realized the boy had shown him something profound: Each kind act, no matter how small, matters more than we can ever know.
Based on the book The Starish Thrower by Loren Eiseley
Related short stories:
-) The Egg
-) Two Babies in the Womb
-) The Whole Universe in a Sheet of Paper
-) Maybe So, Maybe Not, We’ll See
-) Six Blind Men and One Elephant
-) The Investment Banker and the Fisherman
-) The Stonecutter that wanted to be the Sun
-) Life is a Dance, not a Marathon
-) The Man, the Boy and the Donkey
-) The House with a 1000 Mirrors
-) Empty your Cup