It Matters To This One

As I walked along the seashore
This young boy greeted me
He was tossing a stranded starfish
Back into the deep blue sea
I said, “Tell me why you bother.
Why you waste your time this way?
There’s a million stranded starfish
Does it matter anyway?”

And he said, “It matters to this one.
It deserves a chance to grow
It matters to this one.
I cant save them all, I know.
But it matters to this one,
I’ll return it to the sea.
It matters to this one,
And it matters a lot to me.”

As I walked into a classroom
The teacher greeted me.
She was helping Anand study.
He was struggling- I could see.
I said, “Tell me why you bother.
Why you waste your time this way?
Anand’s one of millions
Does it matter anyway?”

And she said, “It matters to this one.
He deserves a chance to grow
It matters to this one.
I cant save them all, I know.
But it matters to this one,
I’ll help him be what he can be.
It matters to this one,
And it matters a lot to me.”

Author Unknown