The Starfish Story

by Loren Eiseley (1907 - 1977)

While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in the distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean. As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back into the water. He came closer still and called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?” The young man paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.” The old man smiled, and said, “I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.” Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, “But, young man, do you not realise that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!” The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another starfish, threw it into the back into the ocean past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.”

RainWater Center Mission Statement

To help give those in pursuit of positive life change, the resources necessary for their growth by promoting complimentary health practices, personal life coaching, meditation and spiritual contemplation.

Connecting people to people, helping all reach their highest and best self.

We are all both student and teacher.

"The whole of life, from the moment you are born
to the moment you die, is a process of learning."
-Jiddu Krishnamurti

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