I think I first heard the story of the boy and the starfish from Wayne Dyer. He, of course, has been in my thoughts a great deal this week, as he gracefully withdrew his consciousness from that earthly body and moved on to other great adventures.
Dr Dyer made a difference, a huge one, while he was here.
Then there are the rest of us. This week our lives have been touched by the sight, not of starfish, but of small children washed up on the beach. We, too, feel the futility of any gesture amidst the mass of suffering as countless displaced people – mums, dads, sons and daughters – make desperate bids to find refuge and rebuild their lives somewhere safe.
What an opportunity it gives us – the chance to decide how we want to react; what we want to do. If we can step back for a moment from the wringing of hands and the economic and cultural challenges, each of us has the chance to make a difference, even in the smallest way, and that is a great gift.
Please don’t think I lack empathy with the refugees by saying that. Certainly I believe that every single person on the planet chose, as some level, the life they’re currently living, so that they could play this massively complex and often agonising game called Life and experience all it can throw at them. We can’t come close to imagining how painful that is for some. We can decide, though, how we will respond.
So I decided I wanted to make a difference and the idea that came into my head was – bizarrely enough – ‘make hats for the children’.
Hats?
Well, autumn is coming on, and many of the families are moving into colder places. Hats are great for keeping the body temperature up. I have an ancient and basic but functional knitting machine and shelves of yarn in all colours of the rainbow…
How was I to get these hats to the children? That was the next challenge. No sooner had the thought entered my head than I received two emails, detailing local drop-off points for supplies which would be taken to the refugee camp in Calais. Once synchronicity starts to kick in like that, I stop asking questions and get going.
Here are the first two. Each took about an hour to make. The little crocheted starfish take another 20 minutes. It struck me that I could make more hats if I left the decoration off, but intention is everything. As I create my rather lumpy little starfish (I’m not great at crochet) I’m pouring into them all the love and hope I can for the child who will wear that hat, and the starfish is a powerful symbol for me of how, even in this absurdly small way, each of us can make a difference.
Looking at Life 
What a beautiful thing to do. And I completely understand your viewpoint about our choosing our lives. The outpouring of compassion that has arisen because of these refugees, and on a global level, is no accident that it’s happening right now. I keep reading about a big energetic shift in the entire planet that is happening at the solstice, but has likely already begun (or the preparations are certainly underway), and I think of the little ones who sacrificed themselves to help bring on this massive wave of love. To shake us out of our daily stupor, to help us all raise our collective vibration. I absolutely love that you are knitting hats, and with pretty detail!
I once saw a knitting machine at a friends house when I was in high school. Such an impressive thing. Keep calm and knit on!
I love your comment about the changes in our perception those children brought about through their sacrifice, Sue. Spot on. Also, of course, the terrible sacrifice their surviving relatives have made, only to be hounded relentlessly by journalists. And yet, it has made the most amazing change of attitude across the planet. Those poor little kids certainly didn’t die in vain.
Jan, you are the best. What a wonderful
idea the hats are. And I love the starfish- what a nice touch.
Such a sad week when we see how many refugees there really are; and we
Lose such wonderful people as Wayne
Dyer and the brilliant Oliver Sachs.😢
Thanks Wendy – glad you like them!
Yes, sad in some ways, yet all the events you mentioned have seen such an outpouring of love, and that is always good. x
What is the story of the boy & the starfish ?
Sent from my iPhone
>
Hi Wendy, I think you read my blog on email, which means any pictures, videos etc. I embed don’t appear for you. The original post began with a very short video of the Boy and the Starfish story. You may be able to see the original if you click on the post in your email, but in case that doesn’t work:
A man was walking along a beach. It was littered with starfish – so many he had to take care not to tread on them. Ahead, he saw a boy throwing starfish into the sea.
“What are you doing that for?” asked the man.
“Because the tide is going out and the starfish will die if they aren’t returned to the water,” explained the boy.
“It’s pointless,” retorted the man. “There are thousands of them. You can’t hope to make any difference.”
The boy bent down silently, picked up another starfish and threw it into the water.
“I made a difference to that one,” he smiled.
LOVELY story! Thanks
The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand. ~Frederic Lawrence Knowles
Way to go, Jan!