Water is the reason of our birth; it is the healer, the destroyer and the final consumer
By Nazarul Islam
I looked up through my bedroom window to discover a lovely blue sky that seemed like the perfect morning for a brisk walk. Climbing up to the extended parapet of the window, l walked around, when I suddenly noticed that one of the solar panels that is mandatory these days in many communities—was dripping. The water was flowing like a mini stream on the terrace.
I was irritated because it hampered my walk and certainly, wastage of water from rain was a waste of a precious resource. The next couple of days, l noticed the same phenomenon. Angry, l tried to find out who had fixed the panel, and trying to prepare and deliver an earful to the person who had installed the equipment.
It was around this time that I noticed a strange thing. Two little magpie robins were pecking away at the little puddles that had formed because of the dripping water. I realized they were quenching their thirst this way.
That’s when l observed that the little puddles formed from the dripping water which l considered a waste were quenching the thirst of many species of birds— the magpie robins, pigeons, crows and even a couple of stray kites (cheels).
This experience really set me thinking about how important water is to all living beings on our planet. One does not have to be a specialist in science to know that all living beings need water to survive.
Much has been written on Water even in the literary arena. Every child would have heard of the saying: ‘water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink’ or ‘little drops of water make the mighty ocean.
Waterfalls have formed the ideal setting for many romantic sequences in movies. ‘I’m singing in the rain’ that timeless classic song where the hero is sloshing about in the rain, from the movie ‘Singing in the rain’, is still one of the most iconic rain songs ever. And, who can forget that wonderful advertisement for brand of soap where the girl is enjoying herself under the waterfall. And yet water is one of the most wasted resources.
Sometimes one is faced with the scenario of drought in some parts of the country and floods in another. But man has been slow in learning lessons.
The story thus goes on. While a tap somewhere is leaking, a little bird somewhere else searches for a sip of water.
The bottom line: I now remember to place a small vessel of water on the terrace every day when I go for my morning walk and replace it when I go again in the evening.
Water drops erode mountains not because of their size, but their persistence. Let’s try and be like water; soft as it is, it breaks through rocks and impenetrable surfaces.
This is the reason of our birth; it is the healer, the destroyer and the final consumer.
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About the Author
The Bengal-born writer Nazarul Islam is a senior educationist based in USA. He writes for Sindh Courier and the newspapers of Bangladesh, India and America. He is author of a recently published book ‘Chasing Hope’ – a compilation of his 119 articles.
