It’s easy to get caught up in all the negative things happening around us. It’s easy to feel depressed and overwhelmed about the state of the world.
“I can’t possibly make a difference when the world’s problems seem so big… problems far too big for any single person to solve“, you might be thinking.
But you CAN!
I believe that we all have the power within us to make a difference in the lives of others. I hope the following story will inspire you to do something for someone else.
♦ One day, a man was walking along the beach and he noticed a boy hurriedly picking up and gently throwing things into the ocean. He approached the boy and asked him why he spent so much energy doing what seemed to be a waste of time.
♦ The boy 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.”
♦ The man replied, “But there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”
♦ After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it into the surf. Then, smiling at the man he said, “Well, I made a difference to THAT ONE”, and continued with his work.
There are several different versions of the story but it was originally written by Loren Eiseley (1907 – 1977), an American anthropologist, poet, humanist and thinker.
The message of the story really resonates with me.
As a counsellor, I help people work through many difficult issues;
- mother grieving the loss of her child
- teenager struggling with loneliness and self-esteem
- young woman experiencing bouts of depression and anxiety
- husband whose wife has left him
- single mother struggling with health crisis
- executive lacking the confidence to lead others effectively
- middle-aged woman facing redundancy
- retiree adjusting to a major life change
- young man in prison after killing another during a drunken fight
- successful professional struggling with drug addiction
I help them learn new skills, grow and become more self-reliant – one person at a time. I know I can't change the entire world, but I can change a small part of it.
So, the next time YOU get chance to make a small difference, just do it.
Be a Starfish Thrower in your own unique way – and inspire others to do the same!
Eila Mikkonen
Counsellor, Coach & Mental Fitness Facilitator