Not all stars
belong to the sky! - Unknown
JEFF’S GIFT: Throwing Stars
By Cheryl Cutting Page
“Being of service doesn’t have to mean doing something big,”
said Jeff.
“But with so much need in the world – how can we possibly
make a difference if we
don’t do something big?” Alia wanted to know.
“That’s a great question and it reminds me of a story,” he
replied.
As they sat on the beach scrunching their toes in the warm
sand, Jeff shared this story:
Early
one morning a man was walking along the beach. The sun was shining and it
was a
beautiful day. Off in the distance he could see a girl going back and forth
between
the beach and the surf’s edge. Back and forth she went again and again.
As the
man approached he could see there were hundreds of starfish stranded on
the
sand as a result of a storm the night before, and the girl was tossing them one
by
one
back into the surf.
“Young
lady,” he asked, “why are you throwing starfish into the sea?”
“The
sun is up, the tide is going out, and if I don’t throw them back they will
die,”
she
said.
“But
don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and stranded starfish all
along
it? You cannot possibly make a difference.” He replied.
The
girl listened politely, paused and then bent down, picked up another starfish
and
gently threw it back into the ocean. She then turned back to the man and said
with a
smile, “I sure made a difference for that one!”
“Did the girl in the story make a difference for each
starfish she threw back into the sea?”
Jeff asked.
“Absolutely!” replied Alia.
“Do you think any of those starfish are ever going to come
back and thank her for saving
their lives? Or maybe they’ll send her a nice note in the
mail expressing their
appreciation?” Jeff teased with a gleam in his eye.
Alia laughed at the silly thought of getting a card in the
mail from a starfish. “No, I’m
pretty sure they won’t,” she said with a smile.
“So, if we don’t serve others for the gratitude and we don’t
do it for the glory, then why
do it?” He asked her.
Letting sand sift through her fingers, Alia thought about
the question. “Because we can
and because it’s a good thing to help people,” she replied.
“That’s certainly part
of the answer, but there’s a difference between helping and
serving,” said Jeff. “If I help you then in some way I see
you as less able than I am. But if
I serve you then we’re equals who simply have different
abilities and resources.”
Alia was confused and it showed in the look on her face.
Jeff thought for a moment then picked up a piece of
driftwood and drew two candles in
the sand.
“There’s an old saying which says:
A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle
“If we’re both in the dark and both have candles but my
candle has a flame and yours
doesn’t, then I can serve you by lighting your candle,
right?” asked Jeff.
“Right,” Alia replied hesitantly.
“However it doesn’t
mean you’re any less than me just because you don’t have a
candle with a flame. And if I light your candle then what is
my reward?”
Alia jumped up smiling and said, “I know! More light!”
“Exactly! Good job!” Jeff cheered.
“So by serving others we can light up the world and also
leave our mark in some way,
right?” Alia asked. She liked the idea of making a
difference even though she was still
just a kid.
Jeff got up, wiped sand from his shorts and walked a little
ways leaving footprints on the
beach behind him. When he turned around he said,
“Yes, Alia, being of
service is like leaving footprints in the sand. Our footprints are the
result of our actions but quickly fade away, however as we
make our imprints we also
carry some of the sand away with us, right?”
“Right,” she replied.
“So if we spend time lighting candles and throwing starfish
back into the sea then even
such small gestures can make our ‘footprints’ meaningful and
we get to carry some of
the good away with us too,” he continued.
“I sort of understand what you mean,” she told him.
“The footprints the girl made while tossing starfish into
the sea faded as the waves
washed up on shore, erasing any sign she had ever been
there. But the difference she
made in the lives of those starfish is what remains. Isn’t
that cool?” Jeff asked as he lay
back down on the sand and closed his eyes.
“Yes, it’s very cool, but what do I have to give?” Alia asked. “I’m just a kid.”
While she waited for Jeff’s reply Alia twirled back and
forth making swishy footprints in
the damp sand. When she stopped to inspect her impressions
the sun went behind a dark
cloud; this made her shiver just a bit as the chilly sea
water lapped at her feet and began
to erase her footprints.
With his eyes still closed Jeff finally answered: “The girl
in the story was just a kid too
yet she made a difference by the tiny act of tossing
starfish back into the sea. Maybe she
gave us the secret: if we walk through life throwing stars -
if we just do little good deeds
here and there along the way
- this can add up to making a big difference one small step
at a time.
“I like her idea! I want to be a star-thrower too!” Alia
announced as she plopped herself
back down on the sand. “
“Ok, with your star-thrower goal in mind the next question
is who do you want to travel
with?” Jeff asked as he sat back up to look at her. “Good
travel companions make all the
difference, and our truest friends are lighthouse beacons on
our journey.”
“What’s a lighthouse beacon,” asked Alia.
Pointing down the beach in the direction of the old lighthouse,
Jeff explained:
“A lighthouse beacon is the light that shines out over the
waters at night to warn ships of
treacherous reefs and rocks; the beacon keeps ships out of
harm's way and guides them
home to a safe harbor.”
They sat together quietly for a while watching the waves,
then Jeff continued:
“Choosing to live a life of service means there will be
plenty of joys, but there will also
be challenges and even some treacherous reefs and rocks.
It’s during those times you
must allow others to serve you, be a beacon for you;
which is why it is vital to have true
and trusted travel companions.”
Alia dug her toes deeper into the sand and stared quietly
out at the horizon for a
long time. Jeff was patient, giving her time to think about
all he had said.
As the sun finally broke through the clouds and covered the
beach in rays of golden light,
the answer she had been searching for seemed to burst into
Alia’s mind at the same time.
“So if I’m going to be a true star-thrower then there will
be times I am the thrower and
other times when I am the star…is that right?” she asked
excitedly.
“Yes, that’s exactly right, Alia. To truly be of service we
must learn to be good at giving
and receiving,” said Jeff.
As the sun sank slowly into the sea they began their walk
back up the beach.
“Alia, you’re on the threshold of a grand adventure, but you
can only make the journey
one step at a time,” he said. “Be curious, take risks,
listen to your heart and give
everything you do your best shot. Try to do this in every
facet of your life then watch to
see what amazing things happen. And if you get lost along
the way always turn back to
the stars.
“Thanks Jeff. I learned a lot today and I’m excited to
become a star-thrower just like
you,” she said and then happily skipped the rest of the way
home.
That night as she lay in her bed, Alia had a vision of
millions of stars dancing in her
head…and just as she was drifting off to sleep she tossed
the first one back into the sea.
The End
© Cheryl Cutting Page 2012
**
Dear Reader,
This is a fictional story about an actual gift I received
from Jeff Evans. I hope you
enjoyed reading about this gift as much as I have enjoyed
sharing it with you. Remember
what Jeff said to Alia: Listen to your heart, give
everything you do your best shot and
look for ways to be a star thrower along the way! If you do
this then amazing things are
sure to happen!
Your friend,
Cheryl
Jeff Evans
By all accounts, Jeff Evans is just a regular guy; he is a
down-to-earth country boy who could live next door to you and is about as nice
and unassuming a person as you’d ever hope to meet.
That being said, Jeff is also an acclaimed adventurer,
speaker, author and world-class mountaineer and climbing guide who has chosen
to live a life of service. It is difficult to put into words the magnitude of
Jeff’s willingness to sacrifice in order to be of service to others.
Jeff can be captivating and inspiring, but in the most
down-home sort of way, and his slight southern accent puts you at ease as he
dances you towards the answers to questions you may have. Like cool lemonade on
a hot summer day – Jeff both refreshes us and slows us down so we can see more
clearly what living a life of service truly means. He is a role model for me
and this story was my attempt to give him a gift in return for the gifts he has
given me.
You can learn more about Jeff and his adventures at: http://www.mountain-vision.com/
*The Star Thrower story told by Jeff is credited to Loren C.
Eiseley (1907–1977), although it is a variation on the original.
