Joined: Mar 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 12,332 Location: Couch
Mission Statement « Thread Started on May 8, 2006, 1:13am »
Our mission statement is simple - we wish to promote understanding between people of all nations, cultures and belief systems and by so doing to promote the betterment of human and animal welfare and in support of this aim we advocate active participation in such causes as will serve to help bring these goals to fruition. We ask but one thing of you - to follow the Golden Rule in every action and endeavor - please.
"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
Remember the Starfish Story:
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, "It made a difference for that one."
That's what we're about... Each of us can make a difference. That's what I mean by "Success comes in 'cans'..."
Re: Mission Statement « Reply #3 on Nov 26, 2007, 5:00am »
The starfish story is heart warming. I know there are real people like this. In fact, I have been a member fo http://kiva.org since last February, and we have been helping a lot of starfish in the third world. I hope this can compensate a little for some of the damage "we" do there.
Joined: Mar 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 12,332 Location: Couch
Re: Mission Statement « Reply #4 on Nov 26, 2007, 12:55pm »
Thanks, Randulo, then you see what I'm talking about. That's why we're here - there are so many starfish, everywhere. It is a nice little story, isn't it? Have you seen Care2.com? It's another organization some of us belong to.
Re: Mission Statement « Reply #5 on Nov 23, 2008, 7:10pm »
I think that is a wonderful story. It reminds me of my favourite film, It's A Wonderful Life, for the same reasons, each life touches so many, each life lived well makes a difference. Actually the avatar I use on a sister site, EZC is It's A Wonderful Life, I will import it when I figure out how to copy a URL. I am a new computer user. Anyhow, glad to be here, love the mission statment, I try to live it every day.
Click the link in my signature, to send us newsletter items
Joined: Mar 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 5,475 Location: UK
Re: Mission Statement « Reply #8 on Nov 24, 2008, 1:27pm »
Just thought I'd let you know that if I am not about not to worry! My mum is in hospital (having her second operation on Wednesday) and she is really rather confused... so I may be absent here and there for a while.
Joined: Mar 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 12,332 Location: Couch
Re: Mission Statement « Reply #10 on Jun 14, 2009, 1:55pm »
Hi Guinealing! I'm pleased you've joined us, as well! If you look at http://exascape.proboards.com/index.cgi?....ead=1439&page=1 there is a welcoming posting for you in the board 'Getting to know you'. Again, welcome to our growing online family. If you can, on Sundays. In the UK, I think that may be about 4 in the afternoon. Where in the UK are you? My wife and I are going to spend a fortnight in London in October, and will take various day trips to sites such as Stonehenge, Windsor, Kew Gardens, Bath, etc. It's been far too long since I've been there, LOL.
Re: Mission Statement « Reply #11 on Jun 22, 2009, 1:38am »
Hi All, this is a sample of my work......
I see Mrs Brown
I see Mrs Brown has Guinea Worm Fever And her husband is going blind with Trachoma They say a deadly mosquito plague is on our shores But Malaria and Dengue fever don’t bother me anymore
Poor Mr Jones is riddled with Leprosy and his kids Are dying with the deadly Ebola bleeding disease Shame his wife is sick with Cholera or is it Yellow fever? Both are as common as chalk and cheese
Tuberculosis is very rife; it killed Mr Green and his wife Their kids went sick with Diarrhoea or was it Dysentery? Passing blood instead of stools, they will never go back to school
Mind you, we’ve seen worse with Polio and rampant AIDs Sand Fly Fever with the threat of SAR’s and Elephantiasis That made the Johnson’s twins limbs so enlarged
We had a dose of Whooping Cough an outbreak of Measles to But not as bad as Marburg Fever and the Tetanus Both killed quite a few
This puts us to shame, How dare WE complain When we suffer a dose of the flu Put yourselves in Africa’s place See if these deadly diseases Would kill off YOU
Click the link in my signature, to send us newsletter items
Joined: Mar 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 5,475 Location: UK
Re: Mission Statement « Reply #12 on Jun 22, 2009, 6:40am »
I do think people problems can still be significant to them at any given time and therefore shouldn't be dismissed, afterall we all know that things are best 'talked about' and not bottled up.
But it is true there is always someone worse off than yourself, and you can even find them in your own neighbourhood. Someone dying of cancer in extreme pain, someone else with alzheimers...
Joined: Mar 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 12,332 Location: Couch
Re: Mission Statement « Reply #14 on Jun 27, 2009, 8:24pm »
Thanks, Plantlady, the Starfish Story has been a favorite of mine since I first heard it. It is so simple and yet conveys so much that it is quite elegant in its very simplicity, doesn't it?
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