I suspect it wasn't really about starfish

I admire your devotion to echinoderms, but what if you substitute cockroaches in that story?

wackster

SimpleStacker

Early one morning, as the sun was rising in the sky, an old man went for a walk along a beach. As he walked, he noticed a young boy in the distance. He saw the boy pick something up from the sand and throw it into the sea.

The boy walked a few steps and then picked something else up and tossed it into the sea. The old man was curious. He made his way over to the boy, “Can I ask what you are doing?” he said. “I’m throwing the starfish into the sea,” replied the boy.

The old man looked puzzled, “Why would you do that?” he said. “Because the tide is going out and the sun is coming up,” explained the boy. “Soon it will be too hot on the sand and the starfish will dry out.”

The man threw his head back and laughed, “But the beach goes on for miles and miles. There are thousands of starfish stranded here. You will never be able to make a difference!”

The boy gently picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea. As it splashed into the cool water, he turned to the man and said, “I made a difference to that one.”

AskSN

How do you cope with your own mediocrity?

The Story of the Star Thrower

> Early one morning, as the sun was rising in the sky, an old man went for a walk along a beach. As he walked, he noticed a young boy in the distance. He saw the boy pick something up from the sand and throw it into the sea.

> The boy walked a few steps and then picked something else up and tossed it into the sea. The old man was curious. He made his way over to the boy, “Can I ask what you are doing?” he said. “I’m throwing the starfish into the sea,” replied the boy.

> The old man looked puzzled, “Why would you do that?” he said. “Because the tide is going out and the sun is coming up,” explained the boy. “Soon it will be too hot on the sand and the starfish will dry out.”

> The man threw his head back and laughed, “But the beach goes on for miles and miles. There are thousands of starfish stranded here. You will never be able to make a difference!”

> The boy gently picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea. As it splashed into the cool water, he turned to the man and said, “I made a difference to that one.”