Early one morning an elderly man was walking along a beach. In the distance, he saw a small boy repeatedly picking things off the beach and throwing them into the sea. As he drew closer, the man realized that they were starfish which had been washed ashore the night before.

He watched the boy for a short time as he pondered what was happening. He then asked the boy what he was doing. The boy continued to throw starfish into the sea as he answered, “When the sun comes up these starfish will dry up and die.” The man said, “There are thousands of miles of beaches and millions of starfish. Don’t you realize you can’t possible make a difference?”

The boy reached down and picked up another starfish, pulling back, and gently arched it into the sea. He then faced the old man and replied, “It made a difference to that one!”

Birth parents are like this boy. They have a significant impact in the life of their child and the adoptive family that they choose. They make a difference that no one else can make. They are true heroes making a BIG difference in their lives and the lives of others.

Story adapted from Loren Eiseley