What are we going to do about the starfish?

I'm back!
I said I would start blogging again after I came back from DC and now I am finally keeping that commitment. I went out of town last week to train in Alleghany County and this week I have been working on my presentations for the UNC Horizons Conference, Breaking the Bonds of Addiction and Trauma.

Starfish
Have you heard The Starfish Story by Loren Eisley? If not, I have provided the link and the story is below. I know alot of people who love this story and they love using it as a feel good story for people who either work or volunteer at agencies serving victims of sexual and domestic violence. The short version - a boy is throwing washed up starfish back into the ocean to save their lives. A man says it won't make a difference and the boy picks up a starfish and says, it does to this one.

But wait...
I get the feel good part. We absolutely have to work with individuals dealing with the math and aftermath of domestic and sexual violence. And, at the same time, we need to find out why all the starfish are washing up in the first place. If we get to the root of the problem, we don't have to throw all these starfish back into the ocean one by one. They never even wash up.

Here's the story:
The Starfish Story
adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley1907 - 1977
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean.""I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "I made a difference to that one!"