Looking at someone, or something, outside your own consciousness gives you a really different perspective on time and space. Cosmic. This is the latest comic from Randall Munroe at XKCD. Now back to your regular life.
A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.
She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”
The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!”
I'd like to believe that Megan (the name of the XKCD character) does that, too.
Such a horror story ! Every individual starfish has been tasked with evolving into a land based creature, the command to 'Try, Try, Try' reinforced by the sure knowledge that if they give up trying they will be fed to hungry sharks as punishment for 'deserting' their given roles. Little Sammy was eager to try and be the first starfish to gain fame by getting as far up the beach as he could, he would PROVE to his brothers and sisters that he was as good as they were. But then Megan came along.
Sammy ended his days being torn apart by the sharp teeth of a Mako shark.
Couldn't help but think of the starfish story —
ReplyDeleteA young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.
She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”
The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!”
I'd like to believe that Megan (the name of the XKCD character) does that, too.
Such a horror story !
DeleteEvery individual starfish has been tasked with evolving into a land based creature, the command to 'Try, Try, Try' reinforced by the sure knowledge that if they give up trying they will be fed to hungry sharks as punishment for 'deserting' their given roles.
Little Sammy was eager to try and be the first starfish to gain fame by getting as far up the beach as he could, he would PROVE to his brothers and sisters that he was as good as they were.
But then Megan came along.
Sammy ended his days being torn apart by the sharp teeth of a Mako shark.