There was a young man walking down a deserted
beach just before dawn. In the distance he saw a
frail old man. As he approached the old man, he
saw him picking up stranded starfish and throwing
them back into the sea. The young man gazed in
wonder as the old man again and again threw the
small starfish from the sand to the water. He asked
him, "Why do you spend so much energy doing what
seems to be a waste of time?" The old man explained
that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning
sun. "But there must be thousands of beaches and
millions of starfish," exclaimed the young man, "How
can your effort make any difference?" The old man looked
down at the small starfish in his hand and as he threw it
to safety in the sea said…
"It makes a difference to this one."