An old man walking along the shore noticed that millions of starfish had been washed up overnight. He noticed a young child picking up starfish and gently throwing them into the ocean.

“Child,” he asked, “what are you doing?”

“The sun is coming up, the tide is going out, and if I do not throw them in, they will die.” The child responded.

“Don’t you see?” responded the old man,? “There are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it? You cannot possibly make a difference.”

The young child listened politely, paused and then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the ocean saying

"It made a difference to that one."

Adapted from the story, "The Star Thrower" by Karen Eiseley