QS — Story of the Boy and the Starfish

My search:

What is the famous story of the boy walking on the beach, finding starfish to through back into the sea?

Copilot response (as found 2024 05 20):

The story you’re referring to is often called “The Starfish Story” or “The Star Thrower,” and it’s a popular parable about the power of individual actions. Here’s a brief summary:

One day, a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?” The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!” After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, “I made a difference for that one”1.

This story is often used to illustrate the idea that every small action matters, and that each of us can make a difference in our own way. It’s a powerful reminder of the impact of individual efforts, no matter how small they may seem in the grand scheme of things.

Learn more: 1 ataturksociety.org 2 thestarfishchange.org 3 bing.com 4 prm.nau.edu 5 brightagain.org 6 en.wikipedia.org