About Us

This website was created by a few, of the many parents of children with Autism who were fortunate enough to have had their lives touched by Eric Bjorklund and by family, friends, and those touched by Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease. We are not a business. On the contrary, we are stay-at-home moms, friends, family, and just people that care.

The Starfish Story

adapted from The Star Thrower
by Loren Eiseley
1907 - 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, 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!"

As if he hadn't heard, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he turned, smiled and said, "I made a difference to that one!"

THANK YOU, ERIC, FOR DEDICATING YOUR LIFE TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO SO MANY CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO CHANGE THE TEACHING TOOLS OF TEACHERS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND FOR ADDING IMAGINATION AND GOOFINESS AS ESSENTIAL TO HELPING CHILDREN TO LEARN!!!