Water.

It comes in three forms: liquid, solid, and gas. However, if you look at it in a different light, it comes in many more forms such as: rain, hail, snow, fog, clouds, sleet, ice, etc. Some people take water as a blessing, whereas there are those other people that just ignore it or hate it. My question to those people is, “WHY?”

I live in a college town and when it rains, about 25% of people are prepared for it and the other 75% are not. I hear everything from “Oh my God! Why does it have to rain now?” or “This sucks, I have to walk through the rain to get to class!” But there are also the people that laugh about it, love it, or just plain deal with it. 

I see it this way. If you don’t want to get wet, prepare for it. They do sell umbrellas that are small enough to fit in your book bag or purse. You might also get a poncho (not as attractive, but still functional). Or you could go for a raincoat and there are some of those that will be small enough to pack into a small bag. With so many options, there is not a reason for you to be wet if you don’t want to be.

However, for the rest of us, I see water as something to enjoy. I don’t mind walking through the rain to get somewhere, knowing that I will get wet (unless I’m on the way to something important). I see water as more than a blessing. i see water as a symbol of life. What do we look for on other planets for signs of life? WATER! Whereas some people see water as something that messes their hair up or ruins their clothes, I see it as something that needs more appreciation and more respect. Something that needs to be understood by the masses. 

So I want you to go and look up more about water, think about how you use it, how you could better use it and more importantly, conserve it. Think of the ways that you could be more active in the appreciation and/or conservation of it. Try a water sport like swimming, kayaking, rafting, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, etc. Find a new way to appreciate one of the greatest signs of life there is.

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON: 9.16.2008 on http://theenvironmentalistsblog.blogspot.com/