Gratitude 101: Part 5 {A Link Up}

Welcome to week five of Gratitude 101 brought to us by the lovely Erika. 

{If you would like to catch up with weeks 1-4 just click here.} 

If you've been reading, you'll have noticed that I've been focusing on service and how doing something for others will help you find the gratitude in your life. I think I've been so focused on this because being an expat is hard sometimes. I feel like being when you're lonely the best thing to do is focus on others and what you can do to help. 

Today I was reminded of a story that I wanted to share with you guys: 

{via} 

A young girl was walking along a beach where thousands of starfish had washed ashore during a terrible storm the night before. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up and throw it back into the ocean saving its life. People watched her with amusement. She had been doing this for some time when a man came up to her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach, look at all the starfish! You can’t save them all. You can’t begin to make a difference!” The man’s words made the little girl sad. But after a few moments she smiled, bent down, picked up a starfish then threw it as far as she could into the ocean. She looked up at the man and said, “Well, I made a difference to that one!” The old man looked at the girl and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl and spent the whole afternoon throwing starfish back into the sea. 

I know I shared this story a while ago, but I wanted to do it because I really love the message it shares.   Chances are we are not going to save the world. We will not be able to feed every hungry child, or clothe every one in need, but we can make a difference. I am often reminded of this in my family because this story is often linked to adoption. My two youngest siblings are adopted from China, and while I know there is no way my parents could adopt every child that is waiting for a family- I know that we made a difference with Jud and Olivia. 

{via}

We can make differences in our own lives by just taking action. I am so grateful to my parents for teaching me this lesson. It's so easy to get discouraged looking at all the problems going on in the world, but with small steps we can make a difference. 

"It matters to the one" 

Gratitude Moments for the Week: 

1. I am so grateful for adoption and the blessing it has had in my life. I honestly can't imagine my life without my little chicken and my baby. I look forward to the day Matt and I can adopt. 

2. So grateful for this story that reminds us to constantly being making small efforts for good

3. Grateful for my mom who sent me some candy corn in the mail the other day 

4. Grateful to Nikki over at Delovely Details for reminding me about the Starfish Story.