Make A Difference To One

In our world of social media, our success is most often gauged by numbers — the number of friends we have, the number of followers we have, and the number of “thumbs up” or “hearts” we get.  We rise and fall by the numbers, and we are constantly comparing our numbers with those of someone else.  The larger the number of followers, friends, and fans we have, the more successful we think we are.  But, are we really?  All too often success, based on numbers, does not equate significance.  

Several years ago there was a movie entitled, “One Is A Lonely Number.”  And, though it may be a lonely number, what is the real value of one?  Not only the value of one, but what is the power of one?  Many times we overlook someone, while looking for everyone.

I remember a story that I heard years ago.  You’ve probably heard it, but sometimes we just need a little reminder.

Once upon a time, there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing.  He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning before he began his work.  Early one morning, he was walking along the shore after a big storm had passed and found the vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, stretching in both directions.

Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching.  As the boy grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea.  The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning!  May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young boy paused, looked up, and replied, “Throwing starfish into the ocean.  The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied.  “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”

The old man replied, “But there are miles and miles of beach, and there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach.  I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”

The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean.  Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!”

Never underestimate the difference you can make to another person.  A nod, a smile, a kind word, a text, or simply acknowledging someone may completely change the direction of their day.  The smallest expression often creates the greatest impression.

You may not feel that you are important, or have any influence, because you don’t have the “numbers” to show it.  You may argue that you don’t have a platform to impact people.  Edward Everett Hale once said, “I am only one, but still I am one.  I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”

Don’t get so focused on the numbers game that you miss the individual gains.

To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.

You, my friend, are powerful and loaded with potential, and someone is waiting for the gift that is wrapped in you.  Open it.  Don’t wait for your platform to get bigger to crank up the volume.  Make a difference, even if it’s just to one.

Still Believing!