One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”

The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realise there are miles and miles of beach and thousands of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…”I made a difference for that one.”*

 

For those of us called to serve ‘The Starfish Story’ is the call to duty, knowing that each life you touch matters, even if it is only one. Through a national theme which nurtured specific themed events, this year we have tried to reach you at your corner of your University, at that odd hour of the day, when you had a bad week and those emotions won’t go away.

We want to remind you now and always that just because you’re an architectural student doesn’t mean you aren’t human and we want to remind you that you matter, your part of a bigger network, a leading professional organisation that is striving to make the world a better place trough architecture.

When you have those doubts or fears try and remember this quote, to the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.

As the year draws closer to the end, take a moment to reflect on all that you have accomplished, write down the things you want to try differently next time and I encourage those of you who have never thought about becoming a leader to put your hand up, to join the Sona committee at your university in 2019, if you are feeling brave why not walk through the doorways presenting themselves to you and apply to be a SONA Representative in 2019. Don’t do it because it looks good on your resume, it’s hard work juggling all of these responsibilities and studying. It’s hard work when you are driven by passion. What’s rewarding, is the joy you receive when someone messages you to tell you that they’ve discovered new confidence within themselves, confidence in public speaking.

SONA gave them this opportunity and to see this change first hand in one students life, is beyond rewarding.

Make 2019 your year to give back to the wider community, your year to be more.

#SONAAustralia
#permissionistriumph

 

* The Starfish Story by Loren Eisley