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Operation Starfish Rescue

Sometimes, I think I feel things more deeply than most people. And perhaps moreso than I let on.

I am far too connected to most living creatures.

Today while walking along the beach in Chatham, I found a starfish that had washed up on shore. Soft, spongy, peach-colored, with tiny tentacles moving ever so slowly. I picked her up gently, and a little girl came running over to see. She was young and curious, so when she asked to hold the starfish, I handed her over reluctantly after admitting I thought we should put her back in the water.

She scampered off and I ached. Torn between the hope that she’d do the right thing and the knowledge that she might instead choose to dissect the poor creature as if she was in Biology 101.

Hesitantly I continued walking.

After stumbling upon three more starfish in quick succession, we took some photos and I put them all back into the water, not wanting them to shrivel up in the sun and die.

Me & one of the starfish in Chatham

A sudden flash of the starfish and the seahorse from my childhood.

Eventually we turned around to make our way back towards our umbrella and chairs to read and relax.

Walking along the edge with the cold water lapping at my feet, I wondered where the girl had gone.

And then I saw her, up the beach a bit, sitting in the dry sand with her family.

My heart sank for a minute.

And then I saw it: a shovel laying on the sand next to a small dugout lined with rocks. Filled with seawater.

And in the bottom?

Was the sweet starfish.

I smiled and my heart felt lighter.

I am far too connected to most living creatures.

But maybe I’m not the only one.

Comments

  2. This made me nervous and happy both. I’m the same way. Sometimes my son will step on a bug or caterpillar – neither of which are things I’m a huge fan of – but the SQUASH! just hurts my heart. 

    I was at the beach the other day and I was looking for things that were too far away from the tide. I know the feeling. Beautifully expressed. 

    • Robin,

      Thanks, sweets! I can definitely relate. My girls were talking about stepping on ants the other day and I cringed. I went into a diatribe about how unless they’ve stepped in an ant pile, there’s really no reason to step on a poor, defenseless ant. 😉

    • Tracie,

      And YOU, my dear friend, are precious as well. Thanks so much for reading! 😉

  4. That was just so lovely!  I’m glad you’re enjoying your time at the beach.  You look beautiful, as usual!

    • Thank you so much, Terri! We had a great time. I missed the kids, so was happy to come home, but I do miss the Cape Cod weather. Back to #KC and roasting, as I’m sure you can relate!!

  6. Oh, Erin. You are such a miraculous, beautiful being. How blessed the starfish – and we – are that you’re in the world.  xxoo

  7. Aw, this post made me feel so happy and hopeful.  I love knowing that people like you are in the world, with your generous, caring heart, and I love hearing stories about that little girl.  How sweet that she enjoyed the starfish so much she wanted to keep it near her, even away from the water.

    • Angela,

      I was so happy the little girl put the starfish back in some water….it made my day. Totally wasn’t sure what to expect, but she did it. YAY!  😉

  8. You are not the only one. I think as human beings we turn down the valve that alerts us to ALL the suffering in the world (people, animals, the environment) or the pain would be too big.

    But when an individual example (like your starfish) presents itself, we open up the valve. We let it in. We want to make a difference in a small way (because we know we can’t really change the WORLD all at once) but maybe, in this one instance…we can help.

    I love that you worried about the starfish. Even in the face of the knowledge that you can’t save every marine creature from its fate. 

    If people took the little opportunities that came their way to be kind, humane, thoughtful, conscientious, the earth would be better off. 

    Did I get too serious here? I hope you know what I mean. You are a kind soul, Erin. 

    You are not alone, but there are not enough of you, either.
    (fortunately, you’re making more! 😉

    Hugs to you, sweet lady.

    • Dearest Julie,

      Your comments just made me well up. Hugs back to you. You are so cool. I just love you!!! xoxoxoxooxox

  9. I am the same way. Maybe it is something about a woman ingrained from God to nurture and protect, what ever form of life. We see the beauty and value in the simplest of things, and it is so wonderful to hear that little girl is learning early.

    • Angel,

      I’m with you—I think it is a woman thing. I can’t picture a man doing something like this. In fact? I am pretty sure my husband was laughing at me at the time. I was so proud of that little girl!

  12. I love the way you wrote this, I was sitting on the beach with you. I don’t normally think of these things under they happen to me, but when they do, like you, I would have worried about that starfish. One of my favorite stories is the one of the starfish “Made a difference to that one” ..it sits right next to the one of FOOTPRINTS in my bathroom so that I see if every day and remember that even if I only help one person, one starfish, one life today, that’s enough. It makes the ripple.

    what a gorgeous post Erin. 🙂

    • Kir,

      I’d totally forgotten about that starfish story! And I do love Footprints as well.
      😉

      xoxoxo

  14. I would want to save the starfish, too. All of them.

    Now I’m channeling a Go Diego, Go! cartoon…

    • Liz,

      DIego? Does he save starfish? I guess I was thinking more along the lines of the Wonder Pets. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHA

      xoxox

  15. We are the same way here.

    A fact I am extremely grateful of, and proud of.

  16. I totally understand, Erin. I hate seeing the poor deer that are hit by cars as they try to cross the freeway, or even the squirrels that cross the street and don’t make it to the other side.

    Sigh.

    • Sherri,

      Same here. When I was about 9, we were on our way (driving) from New Orleans to Wisconsin to visit my grandparents. Never made it because we hit a deer on I-55 in Jackson, Mississippi. Totaled the minivan. It was terrible. And I don’t like seeing the other roadkill , either, no matter how little….sigh, indeed.

  17. I love this! I’m the one who always carries spiders out the door. Then again, I butchered a baby gecko the other day when I discovered him in my bathroom. His parting gift, a twitching tail.

    I think that makes me a snob. Need to work on that. I would totally rescue a starfish though.

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