Have you heard about the Starfish story? I came across it recently. Although unaware of the story per se, I have unconsciously done this all my life…. trying my bit…however small……
Here’s the story by Loren Eisley:

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

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.”

“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat startled wise man.

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 wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, “It made a difference for that one.”

The story left me shocked..initially and then it sank in. Just like the wise man, we think high about ourselves…even narcissistic sometimes…all talk about doing good and believing in this cause , that cause … but a lot of time it is just that…mere talks- we the arm chair philosophers!

Greatness is not in having opinion, true greatness lies in doing something. Greatness lies not in talking the talk but walking the talk. Helping someone, making a difference..even if for very few. Let me leave you with this thought…how many people you think you have helped in your life and made a difference? When you think of success, I urge you to assess yourself in that matrix

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Have you heard about the Starfish story? I came across it recently. Although unaware of the story per se, I have unconsciously done this all my life…. trying my bit…however small……
Here’s the story by Loren Eisley:

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

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.”

“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat startled wise man.

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 wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, “It made a difference for that one.”

The story left me shocked..initially and then it sank in. Just like the wise man, we think high about ourselves…even narcissistic sometimes…all talk about doing good and believing in this cause , that cause … but a lot of time it is just that…mere talks- we the arm chair philosophers!

Greatness is not in having opinion, true greatness lies in doing something. Greatness lies not in talking the talk but walking the talk. Helping someone, making a difference..even if for very few. Let me leave you with this thought…how many people you think you have helped in your life and made a difference? When you think of success, I urge you to assess yourself in that matrix