Wednesday, April 6, 2011

It matters to This starfish



There is a story, if you haven't heard, about a man walking on a beach.  The shoreline is full of beached starfish, as far as the eye can see.  He keeps walking along, and comes upon a little boy who is patiently grabbing one starfish at a time and throwing them back into the water.   The man stops the little boy and says something very adult- like. "How futile! You will never be able to save all these starfish, little boy! It doesn't matter!"  The little boy grins at him, picks up another starfish, and says "It matters to this one!" and tosses it back to its home.   

I didn't start out this piece with starfish on the shore.  It started with the figure in a shell dress, with the readings I've been doing lately for my yoga practice about the body as a home for your spirit, not something your spirit just wears and discards, so to speak.  Through my yoga teacher training in October, and through my yoga practice in general, I've been attempting to see every action as a little prayer, every mundane task such as doing dishes or tidying my space as a way to create a more sacred space.  Coming to the world with this attitude is a hopeful one.  This way, no act ever seems futile (especially facing the enormity of all the disaster in the world).  And not to be preachy, but it seems much more joyful to align myself with the little boy throwing starfish into the sea.  

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

DIBS.

I got chills when I read that story: I had no idea why that piece spoke to me so much until now!

Thanks for the illumination (but please note that "its" shouldn't have an apostrophe the way you're using it)!

LOVE YOU!

Unknown said...

I'm assuming this is Erin since you corrected my grammar?

kaycee said...

Love you back by the way.

Anonymous said...

I will not atemp to corect any thig, just think it is good food for thought. FAR