The Star Fish Story
Let me close this chapter with the following story.
While not all of my students are at-risk or incarcerated youth, quite a few of them are.
When I am asked why I volunteer so much of my time to teaching my program to these kids, I share this story — it sums up how I feel about my kids...
THE STARFISH STORY
A man and a boy were taking a walk along the beach, talking about life and sharing the beauty of the day
Along the shoreline, they came across hundreds of starfish that had washed up from the tide that were likely to die from the heat of the sun.
As they walked along, the man would pause, bend down and pick up a starfish, then toss it back into the ocean.
The boy was puzzled by this; what could the man be doing? There were so many starfish!
“I’ve been watching you,” said the boy, “but, I don’t understand. There are hundreds of starfish along this beach. You can’t save all of them! Why do you waste your time? How can you possibly think that what you are doing will make a difference?”
The man smiled at the boy, bent over and picked up another starfish. As he tossed it back into the ocean, he said, “I made a difference to that one.”
– This version of this story is loosely inspired by a story that is
based in part on an essay, “The Star Thrower” by Loren Eiseley
PART FOUR
CLOSING THOUGHTS
I have chosen to be happy
because it is good for my health.
– Voltaire, author