Make a difference to one starfish!
~ Sasha Azevedo
I went to my son’s Back To School Night this evening. I’ve listened to the principal’s talk for so many years now. So don’t you think I can miss it? Isn’t it the same every year? However, I went. And I’m very glad I did because tonight our principal inspired me. She told the parents that our school’s new motto is:
“Are You MAD?”
which translates to:
“Are you ‘making a difference’ ?”
Then our principal told this story of “The Boy and the Starfish”:
A man was walking along a deserted beach at sunset. As he walked he could see a young boy in the distance, as he drew nearer he noticed that the boy kept bending down, picking something up and throwing it into the water. Time and again he kept hurling things into the ocean.
As the man approached even closer, he was able to see that the boy was picking up starfish that had been washed up on the beach and, one at a time he was throwing them back into the water.
The man asked the boy what he was doing, the boy replied, “I am throwing these washed up starfish back into the ocean, or else they will die through lack of oxygen. “But,” said the man, “You can’t possibly save them all, there are thousands on this beach, and this must be happening on hundreds of beaches along the coast. You can’t possibly make a difference.”
The boy looked down, frowning for a moment; then bent down to pick up another starfish, smiling as he threw it back into the sea. He replied,
“I made a huge difference to that one!”
~Author Unknown
(*Thank you to Dream Emporium for this version of the story.)
Well, she made a difference with me and I wanted to share the story with all of you.
How do we make a difference? You don’t have to spend a bunch of money to make a difference. Here are 25 Random Acts of Kindness that you can do… starting right now! Practice these ideas with your family. Make a promise to yourself to be MAD… Make A Difference.
1. Smile at five strangers.
2. Hold the door open for someone.
3. Help a neighbor with light yard work.
4. Let someone go in front of you in line.
5. Return a shopping cart.
6. Pick up trash in your neighborhood.
7. Say good morning to people.
8. Complain less.
9. Make someone laugh.
10. Be a positive person.
11. Compliment a friend.
12. Hand out popsicles at a park.
13. Carry around lollypops for crying kids at stores.
14. Put something nice in the mailbox for the mail man.
15. Say thank you to the bus driver.
16. Pay for the person behind you in a drive through or at the toll booth.
17. Tape quarters to the gumball machine.
18. Leave flowers or candy at someone’s door, ring the doorbell and run away.
19. Donate to the local food bank.
20. Make cookies for your teacher.
21. Hand out a $2 bill when you catch someone doing something nice. (We do this because someone did it for us.)
22. Put a gift card on someone’s windshield.
23. Bring a neighbor dinner.
24. Send a real letter to someone.
25. Leave kind notes on other people’s windshield.
“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”
~ Helen Keller
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Yet again, your list is my list, Betsy! Simple, yet effective ways to make an impact. This post reminded me of this quote:
“To the world you may be someone; but to someone, you may mean the world”
Yes, I am glad to be MAD!
Much love, Vidya
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Betsy Reply:
August 30th, 2012 at 6:54 am
Vidya,
Love that quote! It’s by Ebony Mikle and I’ve been trying to figure out who she is. I may just have to make a poster out of that one. Thanks for sharing! And yes, although a world apart, we are so much alike!
love,
Betsy
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Simple everyday ideas for making a difference and adding light to a darkening world. Lovely! Thank you, dear Betsy.
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Betsy Reply:
August 30th, 2012 at 7:41 pm
Suzanne,
I love your comment of adding light to a darkening world. I got quite a visual. Thank you for your comment!
Betsy
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I’m MAD too.
Lovely post. I’m done with back to school nights. Thankfully. But it’s a whole new animal with the college stuff, lol.
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Betsy Reply:
August 30th, 2012 at 7:42 pm
I know you’re MAD! In fact writing this post made me think of Love Rally. Any updates? It’s so funny about the Back To School night. I wasn’t looking forward to it and then got inspired. We have to be open to having inspiration from anywhere, huh?
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I LOVE this list! Thank you.
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You have given me the positive thought to start my day! Your sunny outlook on life makes a difference in the lives of your readers. Thanks for being YOU!
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Betsy Reply:
August 30th, 2012 at 7:47 pm
Thank you so much, Kim, for your comment! It made my day!
Glad you commented and hope you will again.
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Well done Betsy! I love your list and the story from back to school night. Looks like I should have gone after all!
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Betsy Reply:
August 30th, 2012 at 10:03 pm
Thanks Ashley~ It’s so funny how we had the conversation just before I went into school about not wanting to hear the principal speak and then it turns out to be such an inspirational story! It just goes to show you! I’m glad you were able to attend via the blog post!
xoxo
Betsy
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I love this, Betsy! Beautiful list and story. I’m a big believer in doing what you can, however small (and small may result in huge impact) to make a difference! Kudos to the principal for making that the school’s motto – amazing.
Your post brings to mind the Aesop quote, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
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Betsy Reply:
August 30th, 2012 at 10:06 pm
Christine,
So glad you enjoyed! I agree the small stuff often has the biggest impact but often we don’t know. We paid for someone the other day in the Starbucks drive through. It was a real random act because we never saw her face or will see how she pays it forward. That adds something different to the Act of Kindness. And I, too, was amazed by the principal making this the motto for the year. There’s a lot of great changes going on behind the scenes in Education.
Thanks so much for your comment!!
xoxo
Betsy
PS I love that Aesop quote!!
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Great message as usual Betsy! I’ll definitely link to this if I do a post.
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Betsy Reply:
August 30th, 2012 at 10:06 pm
Thank Missy! I’d love to have you link up in any way!! Just let me know and or just do it!!
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Love your list Betsy…I like being MAD too. And it’s all so easy, as you say.
You have brightened my day.
Love Elle
xoxo
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Betsy Reply:
August 30th, 2012 at 10:07 pm
Thanks Elle! I’ve noticed that you are MAD all the time
. Glad to have brightened your day!! And by the way, I really enjoyed your latest post!
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I love that starfish story! People get so caught up in the big, splashy (no pun intended) acts, but as you observed on my blog, it’s often the little things that make a big difference. Loved your list. Things so easy to do, and with such great potential to lift someone’s spirit.
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8.Complain less.
this tips wont just make people like us more but it will improve our lives a great deal
thanks so much
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Betsy Reply:
September 7th, 2012 at 7:14 am
I stopped complaining a long time ago. It’s feels strange now when I occasionally fall back in the habit. And I do think it’s easier to be around someone who doesn’t complain so much, don’t you? That’s a kindness in someone’s day!
Thank for the comment Farouk!!
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Betsy…
What a gift you received last night. Who would ever think that MAD could translate into Make A Difference. A powerful slogan.
I love the initial quote by Sasha Azevedo. You have whetted my appetite to look her/him up online. Have a beautiful holiday weekend. Fran
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Betsy Reply:
September 7th, 2012 at 7:15 am
Hi Fran,
Yes, that’s a perfect way to put it… a gift! We adults need fables, too, don’t you think?
Hope you had a great weekend, too.
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I would like to do something MAD today! What a beautiful post!
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Betsy Reply:
September 7th, 2012 at 7:16 am
Thank you Carolyn! Hope you do!
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Lovely post. Oh, I am mad as a hatter. That’s what matter.
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Betsy Reply:
September 7th, 2012 at 7:18 am
Love it Erik!! Thanks for the comment!
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Betsy: The story was wonderful! I know I would have been inspired because I am inspired right now! Small acts of kindness go a long way, but sometimes I think it is easy to forget how far they go. Like for instance, I believe it is better to tell a person you love them everyday rather than not tell them and then one day buy them a new Lexus. Some people might want the Lexus, but I would want the everyday love. Anyways, thanks for the pointers and I am going to work on implementing them naturally without too much thought!
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Betsy Reply:
September 8th, 2012 at 8:43 pm
William,
I couldn’t agree more. Acts of kindness should come naturally. And you’re right! I think the daily little things are always so much more than the material things that many people love in life.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
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Beautiful post Betsy. We can all make a difference in someone’s life. Thanks for the reminder and love the starfish story! Take care.
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Betsy Reply:
September 8th, 2012 at 8:38 pm
Thank you Cathy! Don’t you think we adults need fables, too? Thanks for the comment!
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Your list of ‘thoughtful things’ are simple, and yet if we all would consciously do just a few of them on a weekly basis, how different our OWN lives would be! That IS the beauty of kindness; that it not only creates postive change in the world, but it creates positive change in our own lives. How beneficial and life-changing it would be for children if this were routinely taught in school. Great post.
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Betsy Reply:
September 15th, 2012 at 5:32 pm
Thank you for your thoughtful comment Patricia! I know some schools are starting to promote kindness as well as anit-bully programs but we certainly need more!
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What a poignant story, Betsy!
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Betsy Reply:
September 15th, 2012 at 5:43 pm
Thanks Jenny! I just loved it when I heard it.
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Very nice post about “MAD” and I think these ideas you have listed are great. I had a neighbor who had his bicycle stolen and I ended up giving him an extra one I had for free — it may me feel pretty good. Nice write-up!
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Betsy Reply:
September 22nd, 2012 at 4:35 pm
Hi Jessica,
What a wonderful thing to do. Something good can come out of something bad. I just love that. So glad you commented! Hope you will again!
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