One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a figure in the distance. As he got closer, he realised the figure was that of a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?"
The youth replied, "Throwing a starfish into the ocean. You see, the sun is coming up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back, they'll die."

"Son" the man said , "don't you realise there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't possibly make a difference?"

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, "For that one, it made a difference."