The Starfish Story

I first heard this beautiful story from a dear friend and colleague, Danuta Lipinska. I use this story (in my own words) on my dementia courses.

I believe that as hard as dementia care work can be, we can all make a small difference in the lives of people with dementia – I guess that applies to other situations too!

The Starfish Story

Once upon a time, there was a wise author 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 at the beach and saw a human figure moving in the distance – like a dancer. He smiled to himself, pondering why someone would be dancing on the beach at such an early hour, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young girl, and that what she was doing was not dancing at all. The girl was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
The wise author came closer still and called out “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young girl 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 astonished wise man.

To this, the young girl replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them into the sea, they’ll die.”

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, little girl, do you not realise 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 girl bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, she said, “I made a difference for that one.”

Adapted from:

The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley (1907 – 1977), with special thanks to Danuta Lipinska (Dementia Trainer and Counsellor) who first introduced me to the wonderful story.

Over to You…Release Your Potential

These are my thoughts and perspectives (I’m not necessarily right or wrong, simply starting a conversation).

So, what about your thoughts? What is YOUR perspective?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, reflections, gut reactions, perceptions, experiences and wisdom.

• Do any of these things ring true for you and can you see yourself putting these into action?
• What would it look, sound and feel like (for you and others) if you put some of these tips into action?
• What barriers might you come against when putting these tips/ideas into action? How might you overcome them?
• Who could give you support and how?
• Have you tried these tips and ideas out and, if so, what have you learned?

Remember that sharing our experiences can help others, so your thoughts and comments are always welcome.

Thanks, in advance, for adding to the conversation.