NATURE | LIFE |CREATIVITY

Without It, Everything withers

Sustenance of life

“Water is the driving force of all nature.” — Leonardo da Vinci

Whenever Dr. Preeti Singh writes about nature, I get excited to share my experiences with all of you. Today I would like to talk about my attachment to water and all its forms.

The world would be a barren rock without nature, and our existence would have been sparse without its bounties; how we would have learned to shine without the Sun, fly high without the winds, or remain alive with water. Every aspect of the universe becomes comprehensible with the help of nature.

Wondrous elements of nature can be condensed into the water if nature lovers agree with me. Water is the sustainer of life; it moves, adapts, and changes, but with a single drop or incalculable volumes, there is sustenance for all living beings.

Water flows flawlessly from the highest levels creating various systems from streams to rivers and merging into oceans. Water changes colors to remain distinctive: somewhere, it’s deep blue, and elsewhere, it’s aqua green.

We can learn important life lessons from the water-its ability to change without losing its essence. We’re so obsessed with the sense of entitlement, reciprocity, and vindictive agendas that an inkling of change petrifies us. In contrast, water is ever-changing, ever-giving, ever-sustaining, always elevating with every change, and urges us to do the same.

With the water systems, the world developed the first civilizations from China, the Middle East, Indian subcontinent to Egypt, where collective cooperation laid the foundation of every form of knowledge. Rivers were used to transporting goods and seas for establishing long-distance networks. Today, we’re thriving because of the existence of these different systems.

Whenever we are near water, all the stress and petty matters dissolve miraculously. It grounds us by providing a clear perspective that nothing is stationary either; we should strive to change others or change ourselves to move ahead. All obstacles are thrown in our paths, like boulders, rocks, or stones, so we can keep moving.

Water also teaches us that success lies in giving, not taking and greatness lies in creating change, not demanding change. What can be more stunning than this description of water:

“As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong.”- Lao Tzu.

Water has fascinated me since I was a child. Maybe, because I grew up near the holiest river in India-the Ganges and just like millions of Indians believed that its water saves our souls. However, my obsession with its taste makes me a little judgmental in the eyes of many, including my own children.

I believe that the water of the Gomti river, one of the tributaries of the Ganges, has the best-tasting water in the world. Why, may you ask? Lucknow, where I spent all my childhood and teenage years, is situated on its riverbank.

Lucknow’s cuisine tastes so good just because of its water resource, and after tasting the food there, at least my children agree with me.

Other than the taste, all the enjoyment I remember from my childhood is associated with water, whether a small lake in our native village, trips to the Ganges, or boat rides on the Gomti river.

Who can forget their maiden experience in life? For me, the introduction to seawater was on Baga beach in Goa, and I immediately fell in love with the majestic waves of the Arabian Sea. I still remember watching the sunset there, and only a few things have been able to match that excitement so far. This quote aptly captures my emotions:

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever-“Jacques Yves Cousteau

After that, I had beautiful times on the beaches of Jeddah, also known as the bride of the Red sea, enjoying the sunrises and the sunsets there. Both experiences were equally magnificent.

All waves of anxiety and depression are suppressed whenever I’m near flowing water, even today. I would like to end with this quote as it encapsulates my thoughts perfectly.

“I love the sounds and the power of pounding water, whether it is the waves or a waterfall.” — Mike May

Sincere thanks to Dr. Preeti Singh for inspiring us with nature-related posts:

Sincere thanks to the editors of Reciprocal: Sahil Patel, Dr. Preeti Singh and Yana Bostongirl for providing a lively environment to create and share our stories.

A shoutout to two nature stories on the wonders of Niagara Falls, Canada/US.

The first one is written by the story by William J Spirdione:

The next story is shared by Mani Goel:

Forever grateful to everyone for your precious time and generous support. Stay blessed, motivated, and live your life to the fullest. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏

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