Lent, day 11

[dreamflower]

This little anecdote has been around for a while, but I love its message: "Do what you can."

The starfish

Once a man was walking along a beach. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. Off in the distance he could see a person going back and forth between the surf's edge and and the beach. Back and forth this person went. As the man approached, he could see that there were hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand as the result of the natural action of the tide.

The man was stuck by the the apparent futility of the task. There were far too many starfish. Many of them were sure to perish. As he approached, the person continued the task of picking up starfish one by one and throwing them into the surf.

As he came up to the person, he said: "You must be crazy. There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish. You can't possibly make a difference." The person looked at the man. He then stooped down and pick up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean. He turned back to the man and said: "It sure made a difference to that one!"

Comments

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

A lovely thought provoking story. I'd not heard it before so thanks for sharing.

[dreamflower]

I'm glad that I could introduce it to you!

[baranduin.livejournal.com]

I try to live my life with this as a guiding principle.

[dreamflower]

As a Methodist, it's shorthand to me for John Wesley's guiding principle:

“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”

[baranduin.livejournal.com]

I did not know that, not being a Christian of any persuasion. Replace "people" with "sentient creatures" and I'm totally on board with it :-)

[dreamflower]

To me, "people" or "persons"="sentient creatures". I don't know if that's official, but it just seems the way it ought to be!

All humans are people, but not all people are humans!
;)

[baranduin.livejournal.com]

Works for me :-)

[the-winterwitch.livejournal.com]

I didn't hear this one, but very similar ones. It's such a great message! Thanks for sharing.

[dreamflower]

I'm glad you liked this!

[nancylea57.livejournal.com]

this is the GOOD kind of crazy .... so it doesn't get as much press.

[dreamflower]

LOL! I don't even know if it's true--but it makes a point!

[shirebound]

I think about that story quite often. It's timeless.

[dreamflower]

It is. Even small acts of kindness can be important to the one who receives them; but more importantly to the person who gives them.

It did, indeed!

[kgreen20.livejournal.com]

It certainly did make a difference for that starfish.

Re: It did, indeed!

[dreamflower]

Yes, it did! ;)

[marta-bee.livejournal.com]

This was lovely (lovelily?) put, Barbara. It reminded me in a way of the Vincent van Gogh episode of "Doctor Who" - that just becaause we can't prevent bad things from happening that we still shouldn't try to make life as good as possible, and cling to the good times even more.

Actually, now that I think of it it reminds me of more than just that bit of DW! :-)

[dreamflower]

I think for true heroes of any stripe, it's "Do what you can." Because whether it's a little hobbit trudging one miserable step after another to destroy a horribly dangerous artifact, or another hobbit showing compassion to a miserable creature in a dark place, or a powerful Time Lord with the ability to go anywhere or anywhen, or just an ordinary person who speaks up against injustice when it might be easier to stay silent--they do what they can.

No one can do everything; but everyone can do something.