Over the past few months, I’ve noticed that starfish have been a trend popping up in the jewelry, clothing, and knick-knacks being sold in stores. Seeing this specific ocean creature always reminds me of a certain story, which I’ve seen retold in many ways. The following version is from GoodReads.com, and is attributed to Loren Eiseley.
“Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The young man paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”
“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said,
“It made a difference for that one.”
It made a difference for that one.
I’ve had the privilege of advocating for a little named Jonah for more than 6 months now. He’s one of millions of orphaned/abandoned kids in the world, and it’s all but impossible for me to help every single one of them. But this little guy, of all the Angel Tree kids last year, jumped out at me, and I had to give him a helping hand. It made a difference- more than $1000 was donated to his adoption grant in that short time period. But he’s not home yet.
If you’d like to make a difference to Jonah (and his soon-to-be brother, Jackson) you can support the family adopting them by shopping for various items across the sites below. You can also donate directly to their FSP on Reece’s Rainbow, http://www.reecesrainbow.org/sponsorsteele. (It’s tax deductible, too!)
Amazon Shopping: If you need to purchase something off Amazon.com, go to his family’s blog (http://www.steeleadoption.blogspot.com), find the little gray Amazon button (right side, above the Reece’s Rainbow button) and click on it. It’ll take you straight to Amazon.com, and when you purchase something, Amazon donates part of their profit from your purchase to his adoption. Super simple, and costs you nothing! But for it to work, you have to enter Amazon through the button on their blog! 🙂
Scentsy (Candles and Smells):
https://www.itallmakesperfectscents.scentsy.us/Scentsy/Home?partyId=237669005
Velata (Kitchenware & Edibles):
https://www.lovetofondue.velata.us/Velata/Home?partyId=237676764
Tastefully Simple (Food & Edibles) (make sure to scroll down under the consultant’s name to “attend a party” and click JonahNJack)
https://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/chofstetter
Handmade Jewelry: (Make sure to put STEELE FAMILY in the comment section if you order)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/everarizona
Puzzle Fundraiser:
http://steeleadoption.blogspot.com/2014/03/puzzle-fundraiser.html
Water Filters:
http://steeleadoption.blogspot.com/2014/04/we-have-fundraiser-for-everyone.html
And, if we’re friends on Facebook, I still have a photo album full of t-shirts, jewelry, and handmade cards for sale, for which all proceeds benefit Jonah’s adoption.
Please consider sharing what you’ve been blessed with.. because it matters to this one.
🙂
Oceans & Eyedroppers 