As an old man walked down a beach at dawn, he saw a young man running across the sand,bending down to pick up a stranded starfish and throw it far into the sea. The old man gazed in wonder as the young soul again and again threw the small starfish from the sand into the water.

The old man approached him and asked why he spent so much energy doing what seemed a waste of time. The young man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left exposed on the beach until the morning sun arose.

“But there are thousands of miles of beach, and miles and miles of starfish. How can your efforts make any difference?” The young man looked down at the small starfish in his hand, and as he threw it to safety in the sea, he said, “Made a difference to that one!”