Very often, when I speak to groups, I wrap up my talks with a story that has become a signature ending for me – a little story about the power of one person, or maybe the impact that a person has on one life… I ask people to think about it when the world feels so very big, and they feel so very small… The story goes like this:
One morning, along the East coast somewhere, there had been an incredible storm. The storm washed up thousands of starfish onto the beach, where they lay in the morning sun. A young boy was out on the beach – he was furiously flinging starfish back into the sea. A man strolling along the beach saw the boy bustling. He stopped and asked the boy what he was doing. The man told the boy, “There must be ten thousand starfish out here – you can do this all day and never make a difference!” The boy looked up at the man with a puzzled look on his face… Then he reached down and picked up a starfish – and he flung it out to see with all of his might. He looked up at the man again, pointing out to sea where the starfish landed – and he said, “I just made a difference in the life of that starfish…”
The story is an old one, with many variations – I first heard it at a caregiver’s celebration – it was told by a social worker at Loyola, Susan Long. I’ve told her several times that I stole it from her and that I use it all of the time to wrap my talks, and let people know how important their one decision, or one action might be… I get to explain to people how I was one of Kari’s starfish. Susan is OK with that.
So I’m minding my own business – checking out a little organ donation video about Hawkeye Heroes – and I decide to click on one of the recommended videos that popped up afterwards, titled “The power of one…” posted by Iowa Donor Network. It’s a beautiful and meaningful song by Bomshel. About half way through the video – up pops the beautiful girl who saved my life – Kari. And a little bit later there’s a picture of me and Jenn and Annie – and later, another one of me and Kari…
It’s kinda wonderful to find a little surprise like that now and then… It reminded me of another little quote that I love:
To the world, you may be once person. But to one person, you may be the world…
Register to become an organ donor – be someone’s hero… For years after you’ve left this Earth, you may be the world to several someone’s…
In Iowa, you can register at Iowa Donor Registry
In Illinois, you can register at Gift of Hope
Anywhere else, you can find your registry at DonateLife.net
