Making a difference

This might be a story you have heard in some version or other but wanted to share it to help try to explain why I decided to write a blog. The "Starfish Story," is attributed to Loren Eiseley. It is part of his 1969 essay titled "The Star Thrower". 

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which hundreds 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 bafflement and amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when an old 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, if I can save only one starfish then it was worth it”

The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and Inspired, he picked up a starfish and joined the little girl in throwing the starfish back into the sea. 

Now I mentioned before that we live with an elderly relative who is probably best described as an egotist with narcissistic tendencies (qualities she has had for most of her life). In other words she is a dementor! For anyone who may not have read the books or seen the Harry Potter films (accredited to J K Rowling) - a Dementor is a creature that feeds on human happiness and hope, causing feelings of despair and depression in those nearby. So why do my husband and I care for her at home? Well she is in her 90’s and a few years ago when decisions had to be made this was the best solution at the time. Unfortunately this makes every day a challenge in its own way. But in the same way that the little girl threw back the starfish I will keep trying to make even the tiniest difference. Not because it might change her but because in her own way she is in pain even if she cannot see it or admit it and so I will be there in whatever way I can. 

What I am trying to say is, if I can share my experiences and this strikes a chord with just one person then, for me, it will be worth it. Because it will hopefully say to that person, “hello I see you”. My aim is not to go on and on about how to make anxiety go away. My aim is simply to say you are not alone. Anxiety is different for everyone, the triggers, the causes, the provocation, even the physical symptoms but the emotional pain it causes is not. Because that pain is not something that cannot be seen or quantified like a broken arm or a bump to the head it can be seen as trivial and insignificant. So here in my blog I want to say there is no judgement, no pooh-poohing, no dismissing. Just a safe forum to share experiences, observations and stories ☺️. 

So, my little break in the clouds for today for the sun to shine through is this. Our granddaughter started a game based on the red car blue car spotting game but instead changed the colours to yellow and green to make it a bit more interesting. It has become quite addictive (and competitive for me and my hubby☺️). This morning while out for a walk we had to pick up a prescription for my mother in law. Now as it was a warm morning and there was a queue inside I waited outside the pharmacy while my husband went in to collect the prescription. As I was stood waiting, a bright yellow car whizzed by and I was so excited I shouted (very loudly) “yellow car. Now the pharmacy is on a busy main road with lots of passers by, and let's just say most of them gave me the most curious looks 🫣. But then I chuckled and you know what I then saw smiles on some of their faces so maybe I brightened their day too😊. 

 Thanks for reading. Take care and a virtual hug to you all.