Saving Starfish

Published on Thursday, November 29, 2012 by Katherine

I had heard the story before but didn’t remember it. So when it was told during a small graduation ceremony at my daughter’s school today, I was stunned. The story was about my daughter.

My mouth opened wide as I looked across the church at her. She looked right back and read my mind. I spoke silently, “That was YOU!” Her lips quietly replied from far away, “I know!”

It is the story about a man, a boy and a beach full of starfish. There were thousands of starfish stranded on a beach. An old man sees a boy throwing them in to the ocean. He states that there are miles of starfish, and that the boy can’t possibly make a difference.

The boy then picks up a single starfish, throws it back in to the ocean and states, “It made a difference to that one.”

Just a month or so ago this happened to us. Thousands of starfish were beached on the sand in Corolla. We spent more than an hour finding the live ones and throwing them back. Picking up starfish after starfish, doing what we could to save them.

It was a never ending struggle. Throw one in, find 50 more. But we kept working at it until we couldn’t do it any longer. My daughter had her arms filled with stacks of starfish. We would state, “That’s it, this is the last one we are picking up,” and then we would pick up another.

My daughter made a huge difference to a great many starfish that day. Each one she threw back she saved.

Hearing the story made me ponder. How many lives would she make a difference in during her time on earth? She is bright, loving, funny and smart. Her generosity knows no end when it comes to those close to her. Who will she help? What difference will she be able to make?

I can only pray that I raise her well enough to have her continue to pick up starfish throughout her life. In my heart, I am certain her arms will forever be filled with them, carefully making a difference to each she holds.