Starfish

Comment by NatureJunkie on December 12, 2010 at 4:25am

That's George S. O'Brien? Oh man, I have to go check that guy's stuff out. Nice retelling, Syd.

Comment by spacemonkey1310 on December 12, 2010 at 6:42am

Nice.

Comment by Pypermarru1 on December 12, 2010 at 11:00am

I've heard this story before.  Nice reminder.

Comment by Chig on December 12, 2010 at 12:55pm

I love Georgie..... but I had a motivational speaker lay this story on me once at the very start of a class.

At the end of the class he asked everyone come up and tell everyone how they learned to make a difference.

I chose to complete this starfish story.   You see, further down the beach was a child who supported his family, because his father had died and his mother was ill.  He would collect the starfish that washed ashore and died to sell to them to  tourists.   The old man also made a difference in that child's life.   Basically, never cloud your mind to the fact when you give that you have also taken. 

Comment by NatureJunkie on December 12, 2010 at 1:32pm

@ Chig: Absolutely true. No action exists as a solitary event, it happens as part of a continuum of cause and effect. (Doncha love throwing those motivational speakers a curve ball?)

 

Even so, I'd bet a jar of peanut butter that you would have tossed back a starfish or two.

Comment by Chig on December 12, 2010 at 2:08pm

@NJ: Yep, but only after agonizing over the decision and then feeling guilty as hell. :-P

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