Starfish Story
I set a starfish free today.
It came into work with a bushel of crabs. Just mixed up in the jumble. My manager took the starfish and set it on the table in front of him, assuming it was dead. But then all of sudden, it flopped over, stretching its tiny arms.
I left work early and took the starfish home with me. I nestled its small container in the corner of my bike basket. But I hit a pothole during my ride and the container spilled over - pouring every last drop of salt water onto the cold concrete and sending the little starfish belly-side-up across my basket. I biked home worried the poor thing was going to freeze to death. "You wanted to set this thing free, and now you're gonna kill it," I thought shamefully.
Once home, with the starfish back in some salt water, I stared at it nervously, hoping for some sign of life. As soon as its arm moved, I was in the car headed for the beach.
At the beach, I walked out onto the rocks and waited till the tide receded. I set the starfish on a rock, and ran back as a wave came crashing down, sweeping the little starfish away.
If I'm being honest, I'm not sure if the starfish survived its re-entry into the ocean. And if I'm being really honest, I don't know why I'm telling you any of this.
It just feels like there's something to be said here. There's something hidden in my experiences with this starfish today. A story. A theme. A moral of some type.
Maybe it has something to do with the starfish. Something about having a really, really bad day, but ending up exactly where you started. Or maybe it's a story about rolling with the punches. The moral being that someone has your back, even when you least expect it. Even when you think it's all over.
Or maybe it has something to do with me. Something about being kind - about taking time out of your day, even for the little things. Or maybe it's a story about how you can hurt someone even when you're trying to help them. The moral being that you can't save everyone.
All I know for sure is that this starfish taught me something today.
Even though I don't know what exactly that something is.