But let’s only have tears of joy or from laughing too much :o)

As for the starfish story I’ll paraphrase from memory:

There was a little girl walking along the beach early one morning. She had been tossing starfish into the ocean that had been stranded along the shore after the tide had receded. There were tons of starfish all around. Without water soon, many of the starfish would die.

A man approaches her and tells her, “Wee child, why are you doing this? There are so many of them, you’ll never be able to save them all.”

The girl looks back at the man and tells him, “To that one, I made a difference.”

I heard this story told a few times during high school when motivational speakers would come. Afterwards, starfish pins were passed out to all the kids there… which seemed a little silly to me but I understood the point. I lost the pin but I still hold on to the story. With that, I liken you to the little girl throwing us starfish back into the ocean.

t. sterling — Thank you. You are an exciting and unforeseen edition to SfH. I don’t know the starfish story but starfish are fascinating.
Yes, life happens… All of us busy writers, learning and inspired by each other, then taking off into our own little worlds, it makes me think of this song that makes me cry:

CATS IN THE CRADLE by Harry Chapin

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin’ ‘fore I knew it, and as he grew
He’d say “I’m gonna be like you dad
You know I’m gonna be like you”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home dad?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, “Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let’s play
Can you teach me to throw”, I said “Not today
I got a lot to do”, he said, “That’s ok”
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, “I’m gonna be like him, yeah
You know I’m gonna be like him”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
“Son, I’m proud of you, can you sit for a while?”
He shook his head and said with a smile
“What I’d really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then

I’ve long since retired, my son’s moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, “I’d like to see you if you don’t mind”
He said, “I’d love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job’s a hassle and kids have the flu
But it’s sure nice talking to you, Dad
It’s been sure nice talking to you”

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He’d grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then