Water

It has been a dry winter in the Northeast U.S.. Spring rain has been scarce. So, when it does rain, I become more aware of the cycle of water in my environment. 

The cycle of water is amazing and humbling. Our planet is a closed system, more or less. The water we have is the water we have. The water we consume is part of it. The water we excrete is also part of it. The vapor we breathe is part of it. The vapor we exhale is part of it. 

I share the water which passes through my body with the farmers in China and Africa. The same molecules may have passed from my body to hers, and from hers to mine. I may breathe molecules of water which have been blown from the spout of a whale or passed through the gills of a shark. 

Water is a sacred communion to me. It unifies me with all other living things on the planet. It is scourge and blessing. It is waste and plenty. The degree to which I appreciate water and its significance in my life is a measure of my respect for my environment, my respect for myself and other living things.