Adapted from The Star Thrower by Mr. Loren Eiseley, Author & Anthropologist (1907 – 1977)

Once upon a time, there was a wise woman who used to go to the ocean to do her writing. She had a habit of walking on the beach before she began her work.

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

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

She came closer still and called out “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young woman 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 woman.

To this, the young woman 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 woman commented, “But, young woman, 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 woman bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, she said, “It makes a difference for this one.”

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