7.The Starfish and the lady

On a warm, sunny afternoon, an old man strolled along the shoreline, the gentle waves lapping at his feet. The beach was a combination of golden sand and shimmering blue water, dotted with colorful shells and, to his surprise, countless starfish scattered across the shore. As he walked, he noticed a solitary figure in the distance—a young lady kneeling by the water's edge.

Curiosity piqued, he approached her. He soon realized she was carefully picking up starfish that had been stranded on the sand and tossing them back into the sea. The old man watched for a moment before speaking up.

“Excuse me,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity mixed with concern. “Why do you bother throwing those starfish back into the water? There are so many of them! You can’t possibly make a difference.”

The lady paused for a moment, looking up at him with kind eyes. She smiled softly, then turned her gaze back to the starfish. “I know it seems like a lot,” she replied gently, “but if I don’t throw them back, they will die.”

The old man shook his head slightly, still unconvinced. “But look around! There are hundreds of them on this beach. You can’t save them all. What difference does it really make?”

With patience and grace, she listened to his words. Then she picked up one starfish from the sand, its tiny arms glistening in the sunlight. Holding it up for him to see, she said, “I can make a difference to this one.” With that, she tossed it back into the waves where it floated away, safe once more in its ocean home.

The old man watched as the starfish disappeared beneath the surface. He felt a warmth spread through him—a realization dawning upon him that he hadn’t expected. “You’re right,” he said slowly. “You’ve made a difference to that one.”

The lady nodded, her smile brightening. “Every small act counts,” she replied. “While I may not be able to save them all, I can still help those I can reach.”

As they stood together in silence for a moment, watching the waves roll in and out, the old man felt inspired by her determination and compassion. He realized that while they might not be able to solve every problem or help every person in need, every small act of kindness mattered.

“Thank you,” he said finally. “You’ve taught me something important today.”

With that, he joined her at the water’s edge, picking up a starfish of his own and tossing it back into the sea. Together they continued their work—one starfish at a time—making a difference in their own small way.

Moral:- We may not be able to help everyone who is in need, but if we take action to assist even one person or creature in distress, we are making a meaningful impact. Every small effort counts and can create ripples of change in the world around us.

<Home> <Previous> <Next>