An old man walked across a beach until he came across a young boy throwing something into the breaking waves.
Upon closer inspection, the old man could see that the boy was tossing stranded starfish from the sandy beach, back into the ocean.
“What are you doing young man?” He asked.
“If the starfish are still on the beach when the sun rises, they’ll die.” The boy answered.
“That is ridiculous. There are thousands of miles of beach and millions of starfish. It doesn’t matter how many you through in; you can’t make a difference.” The old man said.
At this, the boy 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.”
The starfish story adapted from The Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley 1907 – 1977
Sometimes it’s hard to really comprehend the power we have to make a difference, to change our own stories and as a result to make a difference for those around us. It’s hard to grasp the tangible benefits of living your true heart story.
The only way to really see the tangible benefits of living our true HeartStories, is by looking to the past. We need vivid reminders of the enormous power of one person who decides they’d rather do something than nothing at all. We need a glimpse of what the world could miss, without our HeartStories.
So stay tuned.
Tomorrow, we begin a journey to highlight the accomplishments of some pretty amazing people. We’ll amplify the light they brought to the world, the love they shared, and the difference they made. On this journey, you’ll also hear stories from some special guests, about the impact of influential people in their lives.
We’re going to paint a picture of how the world would be different if these individuals didn’t choose to live their HeartStories. If they didn’t dare to be brave, to believe they could, to cross social boundaries, to defy the crowd, to love unapologetically, to give, to serve, to think and live outside the box. For a moment, we’ll imagine a world without their contributions, without their HeartStories.
Then we’re going behind the scenes.
Together, we’ll listen in to the soundtracks they played in their minds. What old stories did they have to defy? Were they stories filled with thoughts of regret, shame, fear, or inadequacy?
What were the beliefs that pulled them through?
What new stories did they choose to believe that gave them the courage, even if it was moment by moment, to do things that were uncomfortable and hard?
Who was beside them?
People thrive in the context of supportive, authentic relationships. So, we’re going to shine a big light on the friendships that sustained them in the tough times and celebrated with them in the good times.
When we’re finished, we’re going to turn that spotlight on you, with one simple question.
And what about you?
What will you choose to do? What will the world miss out on if you don’t do the things that scare you, the things you feel unqualified, but drawn to do, and the things that are WAY out of your comfort zone?
Because doing nothing is a choice and you wouldn’t have read this far if it was a choice you really wanted to make.
It’s a choice you make this day, this moment.
Are you listening to a bunch of noise or are you choosing to hear truth and love instead? It’s your choice every step of the way and HeartStories exists to make it easier for you.
The little boy throwing the starfish chose to hear love. He’d surely already played the soundtrack that said, “You can’t help them all. There’s no need to try.” He’d been fighting that soundtrack in his own mind with every bend to pick up another starfish, but he knew it wasn’t the truth. With every bend, he was already reminding himself, “It made a difference to that one”. So by the time the old man passed by, it didn’t even require a second thought.
And what about you?
What’s the soundtrack that threatens to keep you from hearing love, either for yourself or for others? What do you need to hear instead?
Please share in the comments below, because you never know. Today, your story could ignite hope, fuel passion or even make one person feel less alone.
With Big Love!
P.S. We’re beginning our blog journey tomorrow! If you want to come along and be notified when we post, just pop in your email address and click that big red “Subscribe” button on the left.
Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. It will be enough.
~Theodore Roosevelt
