Starfish Sunday

Hey everyone!

Welcome back to Hoosier Card Angel's Creations! Today is really special because it kicks off a month long Sunday celebration I am calling:
I apologize for the size of the banner above. I am going to tweak it when I get a chance... hopefully before next Sunday. The "Starfish" part of Starfish Sunday is from the famous story many of us are familiar with. I have heard various renditions of this story throughout the years, but the message is always the same. We can truly make a difference in one person's life and maybe we won't change the whole world but we can change our little corner if we try.

One of my favorite quotes is "To the world you may be one person but to one person you are the world." I was surprised with a big birthday celebration several years ago and my mom and sister printed that quote out and framed it in a frog picture frame. They had no idea that I loved that quote so much. They had just stumbled upon it and thought it would be nice to give it to me!

For those who are unfamiliar with the starfish story I will give you my best paraphrased version of it. A young boy was seen walking along the beach one late afternoon. The tide had gone out and left hundreds of starfish along the shore. The boy knew the starfish would die if they did not get back into the ocean. He knelt down and scooped one of the starfish into his little hand. He faced the massive ocean and with all of his might he threw the starfish as far as he could. With a smile he repeated this action again and again. An older guy came along and asked the little boy what he was doing. The boy enthusiastically told the stranger that he was saving the starfish. The guy looked at him and then at the beach strewn with starfish as far as he could see. He thought for a moment and asked the boy if he knew that was Mother Nature's way of thinning out the species. He told the boy that he could never rescue all of those starfish. What possible difference could that boy make anyway? The boy knelt once more, picked up a starfish, and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. He turned to the man and said, "I made a difference to that one."

That story reminds me of several things.
1. We never know who is observing the things we do for someone else.
2. To be aware of others' suffering so we can help them when we can.
3. It's okay if we have to do the work alone.
4. Helping others can bring great satisfaction and put a smile on your face like nothing else.
5. Older doesn't always mean wiser.
6. It's okay if we break the "rules" in order to help someone or something.
7. Be careful what I say to others, because it might not be encouraging.
8. Instead of complain about the task, jump in and help.
9. Any task, regardless of how daunting it is, is worth the effort if you can save someone.
10. We may not be able to help everyone but if we can just reach ONE and help them we have done something BIG.

So, each Sunday I will share with you some things I have seen others do that has blessed my heart. I will tell you of things that others have done for me that really made a huge impact in my life. There will only be three posts like this but I hope you will enjoy them. My hope is that it will encourage and inspire you to remember the starfish story and everyday may you find yourself looking for ways to make a difference to even just one!

Hugs,