The Star Fish Story
You may have heard of it before but I think it’s a great reminder for all of us whether we are working in the realm of wellness as a practitioner, as an educator or just feeling a sense of overwhelm with the things happening in the world that feel out of our control.
The Star Fish Story
“Once upon a time, there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing.
He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning before he began his work. Early one morning, he was walking along the shore after a big storm had passed and found the vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, stretching in both directions.
Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching. As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea. The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The young boy paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”
The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”
The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!”
adapted from The Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley (1907-1977)
Whether we realize it or not, we all have the power to create positive change, no matter how big we perceive the need for change to be.
So here are my 3 steps to realizing the powerful change maker you already are in the world.
#1 We never truly know how much we may impact the lives of others even in the smallest of ways.
Have you ever had that experience where the right person at the right moment said just the right thing that you absolutely needed to hear?
That is by no means, an accident.
Sometimes that one small piece of information can be the catalyst not only for people to step into their power but to create a powerful ripple effect in the world
#2 We live on the plane of demonstration, so demonstrate.
Becoming a powerful change maker means living from that place that you wish to live in the world. Do you wish there was less judging, and more giving and compassion in the world?
The first step to seeing it is being it.
By demonstrating that which we wish to see in the world we create a powerful realization in the world, that if one of us can do it, we all can.
#3 When we think about what our purpose is we often think our purpose must be large, powerful and something that touches the lives of millions.
But whether you realize it or not, you have already done that and continue to do so.
Think of how many people you have interacted with in your lifetime - not just your friends, your family, and co-workers but even every simple interaction from the local cab driver to grocery check out girl could have far more profound meaning than you every truly know.
How has the simple act of buying food put food on the table for other families? Buying clothing actually helped to clothe others? Sharing a smile helped someone get through the day when they thought that they might not?
This is WHY we live on the plane of demonstration because it’s how we demonstrate ourselves in the world in the smallest ways that can have the most powerful ripple effects.
Could it be that you have already carried out your purpose thousands of times already?
Living our purpose does not mean it only happens when we are aware of it. More powerfully in fact is demonstrating our purpose without needing to know the how or why.
So when you catch myself thinking what difference am I truly making, it helps to remember this story. You never truly know the powerful impact you could have in any one moment for any one person.
“A single, ordinary person still can make a difference – and single, ordinary people are doing precisely that every day.”—
Chris Bohjalian, Vermont-based author and speaker
Article by Leanne Scott, Program Director & Lead Instructor
