Apple Valley Ohio Lake Community by Sam Miller

Thanksgiving is upon us once again and this year I wanted to do something a little different.  You may have heard of a book called "Chicken Soup For The Soul" and I wanted to share a few stories that are featured in this book.  I hope these stories touch your heart the way they have touched mine. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sam Miller

One At A Time.  A friend of ours was walking down a deserted  Mexican beach at sunset.  As he walked along, he began to see another man in the distance.  As he grew nearer, he noticed that the local native kept leaning down, picking something up and throwing it out into the water.  Time and again he kept hurling things out into the ocean.

As our friend approached ever closer, he noticed that the man was picking up starfish that had been washed up on the beach and, one at a time, he was throwing them back into the water.

Our friend was puzzled.  He approached the man and said "Good evening, frined.  I was wondering what you are doing."  "I'm throwing these starfish back into the ocean.  You see, it's low tide right now and all of these starfish have been washed up on the shore.  If I don't throw them back into the sea, they will 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.  There are simply too many.  And don't you realize this is probably happening on hundreds of beachs all up and down this coast.  Can't you see that you can't possible 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, "Made a difference to that one!"

By Jack Canfield and Mark V. Hansen

Puppies For Sale.  A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read "Puppies For Sale."  Signs like that has a way of attracting small children, and sure enough, a little boy appeared under the store owner's sign.  "How much are you going to sell the puppies for?" he asked.  The store owner replied, "Anywhere from $30 to $50."

The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change.  "I have $2.37, " he said.  "Can I please look at them?"  The store owner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur.  One puppy was lagging considerably behind.  Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said, "What's wrong with that little dog?"

The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn't have a hip socket.  It would always limp.  It would always be lame. 

The little boy became excited.  "That is the puppy that I want to buy."  The store owner said, "No, you don't want to buy that little dog.  If you really want him, I'll just give him to you."  The little boy got quite upset.  He looked straight into the store owner's eyes, pointing his finger, and said, "I don't want you to give him to me.  That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I'll pay full price.  In fact, I'll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for."

The store owner countered, "You really don't want to buy this little dog.  He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies."  To this, the litle boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace.  He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, "Well, I don't run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands.

By Dan Clark