UPSIDE DOWN

My drinking water is always hot; my shower, always cold. Sometimes, I don’t have any water so I just don’t bathe. I wash my clothes in a bucket and on the streets have come to trust only in the safety of a hot cup of tea. Seems like the world is turned upside down. But, it is something else that shocks my worldview. In developing countries, it is the distribution of this natural resource that is turned upside down. Water cannot be made. Yet, it is privatized and commoditized and denied to the very people that find refuge on its shores. Water as a good takes away from the acts of fishing, farming, bathing, cooking, even drinking. Major national and international corporations not only drain the water for bottling, production, and extended distribution, but also leave bodies of water contaminated and unfit for use. It is a devastating situation, as water becomes a privilege to the ones who can afford it. I have been learning about this situation through readings and lectures and it is clear that it is a problem in dire need of examination and action. The image that captures it best for me is this: while the child dreams of a pepsi, the mother sadly realizes that it is because of this globalization that she cannot even offer her child a glass of water.
Water is sacred. It is a central part of our lives-- our culture, our health, our very spirituality. Our stewardship towards humanity extends far beyond our monetary contributions- preserving the natural elements is the only way to ensure human life.