"While walking along a each, a young gentlemen saw someone in the distance leaning down and picking up something and throwing it back into the ocean. As he got closer he noticed that the figure was that of an elderly man, picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back into the water. The young man smiled and asked, "Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" To this the elderly man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die.
Upon hearing this the young observer commented, 'But Sir do you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish along each mile? You can not possibly make a difference!'
The elderly man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the ocean past the breaking waves and said, 'It made a difference for that one.'"
This story was on the back of a RE/MAX index card. I changed the young man and elderly gentlemen positions in the story. It made more sense to me that an elderly person would be wise enough to be concerned with the affect on one starfish.
In our youth we are almost most often concerned with ourselves. It takes time to realize that the effect we have on others helps to create or destroy relationships. Like the story above, we have to realize that every interaction is like a starfish with at least five legs:
1. how we see that person (now)
2. how that person sees us (now)
3. how we want that person to see us (future)
4. how we want to influence that person in this situation (near future)
5. how we want the relationship to unfold in the far future (future)
(I am sure you can come up with your own version)
It seems that majority of the interaction should be future focused. Maybe with a long term view the interactions would be more nurturing.
Today's question is:
"Did you nurture someone today?"
Upon hearing this the young observer commented, 'But Sir do you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish along each mile? You can not possibly make a difference!'
The elderly man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the ocean past the breaking waves and said, 'It made a difference for that one.'"
This story was on the back of a RE/MAX index card. I changed the young man and elderly gentlemen positions in the story. It made more sense to me that an elderly person would be wise enough to be concerned with the affect on one starfish.
In our youth we are almost most often concerned with ourselves. It takes time to realize that the effect we have on others helps to create or destroy relationships. Like the story above, we have to realize that every interaction is like a starfish with at least five legs:
1. how we see that person (now)
2. how that person sees us (now)
3. how we want that person to see us (future)
4. how we want to influence that person in this situation (near future)
5. how we want the relationship to unfold in the far future (future)
(I am sure you can come up with your own version)
It seems that majority of the interaction should be future focused. Maybe with a long term view the interactions would be more nurturing.
Today's question is:
"Did you nurture someone today?"
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