Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of individual efforts in making a difference, using the parable of a boy saving starfish to illustrate that helping even one person can have a significant impact.

Abstract

The article "Helping Just One Person Can Make a Change in the World" discusses the overwhelming nature of global issues and the ease with which one can feel powerless. Despite the continuous emergence of challenges, such as the recent Ukraine tragedy, the author encourages readers not to lose hope. Drawing from a personal experience at the Des Moines Register, the author recounts the story of the starfish, which serves as a metaphor for the value of helping one individual at a time. The article suggests that whether through monetary donations, legislative advocacy, or prayer, every act of kindness contributes to a larger change. It acknowledges the challenges of compassion fatigue but reinforces the idea that each person's efforts are crucial, even if they only touch one life.

Opinions

The author believes that despite the constant stream of global issues, it is important not to succumb to despair or inaction.
It is highlighted that any form of contribution, big or small, can make a meaningful difference in the world.
The author suggests that focusing on helping one person can be less overwhelming and more manageable than trying to solve all the world's problems at once.
The article conveys the idea that every individual has the power to effect positive change, regardless of the scale of their actions.
It is emphasized that the collective impact of individual actions can lead to significant global change, even if the contributor never meets the beneficiary of their generosity.
The author encourages readers to persevere through times of compassion fatigue or burnout by remembering the significance of their actions for even a single person.

Helping Just One Person Can Make a Change in the World

“Don’t give up, ’cause you have friends. Don’t give up, you’re not beaten yet. Don’t give up, I know you can make it good.” — Peter Gabriel

Earth’s people have many needs. It can seem impossible to believe our efforts make a meaningful difference in solving our problems.

As soon as we clean up or improve one situation, another one pops up. You and I are only here for a short time. We barely make a dent.

Just as I thought I could let down my guard about COVID in watching out for my fellow humans and re-enter society, the Ukraine tragedy struck.

My conversations with people have genuinely had a dark pall over them on this topic of war. If there is a devil, he seems to be winning.

Saving the Starfish

I worked evenings at the Des Moines Register when I was in college. I wrote up obituaries and “news around town” articles. The desk I shared with a daytime reporter had a story about saving the starfish taped to her computer.

I never forgot this story, and it has helped me persevere through times when compassion fatigue or burnout have overwhelmed me. This story helped me focus on the importance of one person. One person is not as overwhelming as billions of people.

I genuinely understand the overwhelm.

But saving one person is significant. And any effort can make an impact. I can’t contribute millions of dollars to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, but I can give $10.

For others, $10 may be too much. If so, maybe they can contribute $5 or $1.

And for others, any amount of money is impossible to share. For them, nonmonetary action, such as writing a legislator or saying a prayer, may be the exchange of energy they can offer, which has a potent power. Anglican Priest Tish Harrison Warren, shares in a New York Times column a compilation of prayers millions worldwide have provided in response to the Ukrainian war and for the end of all wars.

You may not change the world for everyone, but you can change the world for one person.

You may never meet the person who benefits from your generosity. What you give may be distributed by people you don’t know either. So, even if that one person is random to you and remains a stranger, that one person has and is essential to someone else and plays an important role.

Here is the story of the starfish. I hope it will inspire you as it has inspired me.

The Star Thrower Once, on ancient Earth, a boy was walking along a beach. There had just been a storm, and starfish had been scattered along the sands. The boy knew the fish would die, so he began to fling the fish to the sea. But every time he threw a starfish, another would wash ashore.

An old man happened along and saw what the child was doing. He called out, “Boy, what are you doing?”

“Saving the starfish!’ replied the boy.“

“But your attempts are useless, child! Every time you save one, another one returns, often the same one! You can’t save them all, so why bother trying? Why does it matter, anyway?” called the old man.

The boy thought about this for a while, a starfish in his hand; he answered,

“Well, it matters to this one.”

And then he flung the starfish into the welcoming sea.”

― Based on an essay titled The Star Thrower, written by Loren Eiseley.