No matter where you are reading these words, walk over to the faucet, pour yourself a glass of water, set it down on the table and let its translucent swirl settle into clarity, then consider the origin of this essential medium—the most important substance for life on this planet.
Pay homage by giving it just a moment of your precious attention. Try to be mindfully conscious about the fluid journey it has taken to reach you. When you emerged into this life from your mother’s womb, 78 percent of your body was water and now, as an adult, it accounts for 60 percent of your flesh and bones.
But do you know the source of the water in the glass, how it got to the tap, have you considered the ecosystem of other wild beings it supported in route and where it will go after you pass it through your body, or slake the thirst of your house plants or when you send it down the drain? It’s extraordinary how little thought we give to water, other than how it can serve our needs.