It matters to this one.
Once upon a time, in a small coastal village, there lived a young boy named Kai. Every morning, Kai would venture out to the beach, where he would eagerly search for seashells and explore the wonders of the ocean.
One sunny morning, as Kai strolled along the shore, he noticed hundreds of stranded starfish scattered across the sand. The tide had receded, leaving them exposed and vulnerable to the scorching sun. Without hesitation, Kai began picking up the starfish one by one and tossing them back into the ocean.
A passerby watched Kai's efforts and approached him, bewildered. "Why bother?" the stranger asked. "There are too many starfish here. You can't possibly make a difference."
Kai paused for a moment, holding a starfish in his hand. With a determined look in his eyes, he gently tossed it back into the sea and replied, "It matters to this one."
Undeterred by the enormity of the task, Kai continued his mission, rescuing as many starfish as he could. With each throw, he whispered those same words, "It matters to this one."
As the day went on, more villagers joined Kai on the beach, inspired by his compassion and dedication. Together, they formed a chain, working tirelessly to save the stranded starfish.
By sunset, the beach was nearly empty, and the last of the starfish had been returned to the safety of the ocean. Kai smiled, knowing that even though he couldn't save them all, he had made a difference to each one he had helped.
From that day on, whenever Kai walked along the shore, he carried with him the belief that even the smallest act of kindness can create ripples of change in the world. And whenever someone questioned his efforts, he simply smiled and said, "It matters to this one."