Welcome!

Home Board of Directors Staff/Associates Article Teachers/Paraprofessionals Assistants Affiliations Direct Services/Resources for Students Training Materials & Resources How You Can Help Web Resources Products/Projects The Starfish Story 

The Starfish

A young man was walking along the seashore, 
saddened by the sight of thousands of starfish 
that had been washed up on the sand. Without water, 
they were slowly dying — bleaching in the 
hot, baking afternoon sun.

He was surprised, then, to see an old man 
in the distance. Stunned, the young man stopped to watch.

The old man was bending over, wincing with pain
 because his aching arthritic joints shot 
spears of pain through his limbs. He was picking up starfish, 
one by one, and tossing them back into the 
life-giving water. The young man shook his head.
"What a waste of energy," he thought.

When he came abreast of the old man, he told him so.
"Old man, can’t you see that for every starfish you 
toss back into the ocean another five wash up 
at your feet? You can’t save every one of these starfish! 
There are too many of them! There is only one of you 
and it hurts you every time you toss them back.
It’s too much effort! Give it up!"

The old man froze for a heartbeat, still stooped over 
in his pained, bent position.   Then slow, slowly he rose, 
with yet another starfish in one hand.  He turned slightly to 
look the young man square in the eye. He powerfully 
flung the starfish back into the ocean 
as he defiantly held the young man’s gaze.
"Made a difference to that one, didn’t I?"

With your help,
Abaco’s Every Child Counts
Special Education and Literacy Project
makes a difference to children
One... by... one

[Paraphrased from the book
The Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley (1907 — 1977)]