Thanks Betty, that was sweet. I was receently shelling in Mexico. I
     discovered several hours later that I had collected a shell that was
     already occupied by a hermit crab. I had to walk a good mile to find
     him a decent rocky area to relocate (since I had collected him on a
     rocky beach only accessible by boat) and had to take some ribbing from
     friends. But I like to think he is enjoying his new home.
 
     Sue in Denver
 
 
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Try to make a difference.....
Author:  Conchologists of America List <[log in to unmask]> at INET
Date:    4/10/98 3:26 PM
 
 
DEAR CONCH-L MEMBERS:
 
A Conch-L member sent me one nicest stories I have ever received, and I
would like to share it with you.  Sorry it is not about shells, but maybe a
starfish is close enough.  Thank you, my friend, I will remember it the
next time I walk a beach.
 
*******
A friend of ours was walking down a deserted Mexican beach at sunset. As
he walked along, he noticed another man in the distance.  As our friend got
closer, he marveled at the way the local native would repeatedly lean down,
pick up a starfish that had been washed ashore, and one by one, toss it
back into the water.    =20
 
Our friend was puzzled. Approaching the native, he said: "Good evening,
friend. I was wondering what you are doing." The native replied: "It's low
tide right now, and all of these starfish have been washed up onto the
beach.  If I don't throw them back into the sea, they'll surely die up here
from lack of oxygen." "I understand," my friend replied, "but there must be
thousands of starfish on this beach. You can't possibly get to all of them!
Moreover, don't you realize this is probably happening on hundreds of
beaches up and down this coast? Can't you see that what you are doing
cannot possibly make a difference?"
 
The local native smiled, bent down and picked up yet another starfish, and
as he threw it back into the sea, he replied, "It made a difference to that
one!"
*       Author Unknown
 
*******
 
Next time I go shelling I will only take what I really need, and help
preserve the rest.  If everyone of us did that, it might make a difference. =
 =20
 
Betty Jean, The Tall One
 
 
Betty Jean Piech=A0=A0=A0=A0
Hockessin DE,USA
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~=20
_@/-The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.-\@_
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