During These Uncertain Times, One Person Can Make A Difference... Just Ask the Starfish

These are of course, very different times we're living in. Surreal doesn't even begin to cover it. This is all right out of a movie script except it's all real; all TOO real.

I know many of you will be familiar with Starfish Story while some of you may have never heard of it. Regardless of what camp you're in, I thought it was the perfect time to share the message inherent in this timeless fable.

There are differing versions but the meaning is still the same. This particular version is one I found here.

Here's the Starfish Story, followed by my reasons for wanting to share this story at this time.

The Starfish Story

A young man is walking along the ocean and sees a beach on which thousands and thousands of starfish have washed ashore.

Further along he sees an old man, walking slowly and stooping often, picking up one starfish after another and tossing each one gently into the ocean.

“Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?,” he asks.

“Because the sun is up and the tide is going out and if I don’t throw them further in they will die.”

“But, old man, don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it! You can’t possibly save them all, you can’t even save one-tenth of them. In fact, even if you work all day, your efforts won’t make any difference at all.”

The old man listened calmly and then bent down to pick up another starfish and threw it into the sea and said to the young man...

“It made a difference to that one.”

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Right now, today, as you're reading this, you can make a difference. Now, before you blow me off, hear me out.

If every single one of us make the conscious effort to make a difference, I believe we will get through this a lot faster than if we did not. We can make a difference in many ways, many of you which already are well aware of but... how many of you are actually doing?

• If you're not feeling well, stay home; stay inside; ask someone to go to the store for you for any needed supplies.
• Conversely if you feel fine, ask if you can go to the store for anyone who is either not fine or compromised.
• Avoid crowds of more than 10 people. I know this is tough for many of you as you like to and quite frankly, prefer to be amongst a group. I get it. Moreover, I am quite certain a percentage of you feel defiant; you think you have the RIGHT to come and go as you please. Well you don't. At least not at this point in time you don't.
• You have the RESPONSIBILITY to do what is right for everyone around you. And you know what is right, don't you? Now is not the time for defiance. Not in this context. No, now is the time for you, me and everyone else on the FACE OF THE PLANET to do what is right for ALL of us.

The time is right now to make a difference. Even if it's just to one starfish.

So Who Is This Steve?

Steve Olenski, or as he is known by his alter-ego, The CMO Whisperer, is truly a unicorn - a very rare combination of real-world marketing/advertising experience combined with a journalistic side including stops at world-class publications such as Forbes, where he was a leading contributor for 10 years, among many other publications.

Above all else however, Steve is a conversationalist. He loves to engage in good old-fashioned conversations. Drop him a line via the link above and see for yourself.