The Starfish Story - Our Inspiration
When Maristella Mission was little more than a twinkle of sunlight glistening on the ocean, this poem was given to us as encouragement to move ahead and make a difference. Even though the challenges we face can sometimes seem as big as the oceans themselves, having the courage to move ahead and do the right thing takes us to places greater than where we were. Here’s the story adapted from The Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley (1907 – 1977).
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day.
So, he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead, he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the sea.
As he got closer, he called out – “Good Morning! What are you doing?” The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish in the ocean”. The curious onlooker responded, “I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?” The reply was, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. And if I don’t throw them in, they’ll die."
“But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!” The young man listened politely, then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said – “For this one, it made all the difference in the world!”
At Maristella Mission, we know there is much work to be done but have dedicated ourselves to making a difference. Even the seemingly little things we do, can be monumental and sometimes even life changing. Thanks for being a star!
