In case you are not familiar with Loren Eiseley’s The Star Thrower, it is part of a sixteen page essay of the same name. Loren Eiseley (1907–1977) was an American anthropologist, educator, philosopher and natural science writer who taught and published books from the 1950s through the 1970s. The Star Thrower was published in 1969 in The Unexpected Universe. The Star Thrower is also the title of a 1978 anthology of Eiseley’s works (including the essay) which he completed shortly before his death.
Here is what Eiseley wrote:
“While wandering a deserted beach at dawn, stagnant in my work, I saw a man in the distance bending and throwing as he walked the endless stretch toward me. As he came near, I could see that he was throwing starfish, abandoned on the sand by the tide, back into the sea. When he was close enough I asked him why he was working so hard at this strange task. He said that the sun would dry the starfish and they would die. I said to him that I thought he was foolish. There were thousands of starfish on miles and miles of beach. One man alone could never make a difference. He smiled as he picked up the next starfish. Hurling it far into the sea he said, “It makes a difference for this one.” I abandoned my writing and spent the morning throwing starfish.”
This classic story illustrates the difference one person can make…
In this world of perceived exterior beauty and the charm of illimitable virtual friendships, one cannot forget the meaning of true eternal beauty, a beauty that resonates from one’s soul and reflects in the acts of kindness bestowed upon another being, What is truly beautiful is the benevolence and generosity one shows, even when no one takes notice.
Throw it back into the ocean. Take time to make pause in your day to do something that matters when called upon. I want to hear about The Star Throwers— a person you know or know of that has made a difference in your life or in the life of someone else— someone who has “made a difference for that one…”
