Alphabet of thanks, “W”
Water, warmth, wash, watch, watercolor, waves, wealth, weather, wheel, what, when, where, whole, window, winter, wisdom, wonderment, write.
I’m thankful for water. I live in Michigan. We have more lakes than any other state. Yes, more than Minnesota. And, of course, we are also bordered on three sides by the Great Lakes. We have a lot of water in Michigan.
Lake Michigan
river
rivers
Water is one of those natural resources it’s easy to take for granted.
I don’t.
I probably did at one time but no more. I’ve learned that fresh water is scare in the rest of the world and not just Africa. Even in Europe water is at a premium. Ocean water is not fresh water and requires more purification which also means higher cost to the consumer.
We turn on the faucet and there it is-water. We think nothing of taking baths with the water filled to the top of the tub, or long showers. Can you just imagine the wonder a little child from a third world country would feel the first time he took a bath? It would be like Christmas.
Impure water is the cause of many diseases in other parts of the world.
polluted water
Many faith-based organizations have taken up the cause and encourage donations for the procurement of wells.
I’ve taken a stand about the use of water in our home. Showers are timed. I have a timer and I know how to use it!
shower timer
We keep the water stream slow for dishes. The water is not left running when we brush our teeth. The water is not left running period. The toilet is not flushed every time it is used. There’s a saying that goes like this,
“If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.”
That’s our standard. (Just so you know, these standards do not apply to guests.) We don’t do this because we’re cheap or can’t afford to do otherwise. For me it’s a show of support. It keeps me in touch with the realities that people in other parts of the world deal with every day.
polluted water
Here’s some excerpts from an article from the British Broadcasting Corporation from June 19, 2012.
Shortages: Water supplies in crisis
By Roger Harrabin Environment analyst
Most countries will have to make do with the water they’ve got, but there are stark disparities
Over the past 40 years the world’s population has doubled. Our use of water has quadrupled. Yet the amount of water on Earth has stayed the same.
Less than 1% of the water on planet blue is for humans to drink.
Seawater is only good to drink for humans who live near the sea and can afford the cash and the energy to take out the salt.
For most of the population this is not an option.
Shortages: Resources running out
No, most places will have to live with the water they’ve got.
Large parts of Africa, Asia and Europe, including the south east of Britain are categorized by the UN as facing water stress or scarcity.
And for all the UN’s recent boast about hitting drinking water targets, experts estimate that maybe three billion people worldwide still lack safe water to drink.
So is it any wonder I’m thankful today for water?
God bless and I hope you have a good day.
