Make a difference to that ‘one’
By Carol C. Harder
It is past time for everyone to stop and take a stand, to speak up, for love, equality, justice, fairness and respect. This means, individually for ourselves, as well as for the people who play a role in our lives and for those living on this planet, as well as for the earth itself.
This “response”-fulness is laid out in part of a 16-page essay by Loren Eiseley. It is called “The Star Thrower” (or “The Starfish Story”) – which you have probably come across at some point in your life. This is one version:
Taking his morning walk on the beach, a man saw thousands of starfish washed ashore. The tide is going out and the starfish are stranded on the dry sand.
Looking ahead, the man sees a young boy bending down, picking up something – and throwing it into the ocean.
Wondering what the child is doing, the man walks closer. As he draws near, he sees that the child is picking up starfish – one-by-one – and tossing each back into the ocean.
The man asks the boy, ‘There are so many starfish washed up on the beach – you will not make much of a difference.’
The boy looks up at the adult – says nothing – but simply bends back down, picks up another starfish – and, once again – throws it into the ocean.
Then – the child speaks, proclaiming, ‘It made a difference to that one.’
Each and every one of us can make a difference to that “one” – one person at a time, one step at a time, one word at a time, one action at a time. Even if what you or I do appears small when viewed through our eyes, it quite possibly can be a big deal to the “one” who is directly affected.
Let us take our ability to respond, to speak, to love – and to make a difference – and go out and change our communities and our world.
We are not victims – unless we choose to be.
We are not powerless – unless we relinquish our power to act.
We are not too late – unless we give up.
* Carol’s Cyberspace will be posted on Cross-Counties Connect on an occasional basis. The author is retired writer Carol C. Harder of Mountain Lake, who has had experience sharing her thoughts and conversations for the past 12 years as a newspaper columnist.