From birth to death water is the source of all life. It is the lifeblood that flows within us and the world. Without it all life on Earth would perish. Water is sacred to Native Americans who see it as the blood of the Mother. It is used in rituals of life and rites of passage in many cultures. The Ganges is sacred to the thousands who come each year to pray in its waters. It is who we are.
For me water is our soul. It is the outward reflection of the kindness and love we have within ourselves. It also matters not what you believe or do not believe beyond this realm of existence. We are all part of the spirit of water. It is that which binds us- all species together. It is in that spirit that I am writing this because Pope Francis has come to America. He is talking about the moral crisis we face regarding climate change - and a huge part of that relates to water.
Yet so many still have not connected the dots between water, climate and our survival on Earth. The main emphasis now is on renewable energy investment with both water and agriculture being left on the back-burner- and along with them the power that we possess through our relationship with water. We seek solutions that remain on the same level of consciousness- which is why we are failing. We need to begin looking beyond ourselves in order to see the answers to the crises which we have made ourselves through our human failings. We must look in our own eyes.
Our continued disrespect for this Earth in large part is destroying the water we and many other species need to survive. Oceans cover over 70% of this planet yet we continue to pollute them with oil, poisons, radiation and garbage. 50% of all global marine-life has disappeared over the last 45 years. We continue to overfish the oceans and use them as drilling wells. We cannot sustain this activity and expect that the lifeblood of our planet will survive our abuse. I find it a blatant betrayal of our humanity to treat that which gives us life so inhumanely.
As Pope Francis travels up the East Coast, the sea level is rising faster on the East Coast than anywhere else in the US. Die off events have been happening more frequently. Accelerated ice melt in the Arctic is already affecting ocean currents and ocean temperatures. Many of the rivers remain polluted from human wastefulness and apathy. Those who work tirelessly to watch over them are the true heroes - not the politicians in DC who only use him either as a campaign prop or a target for their own agendas. He spoke in DC about the environment and climate change there and will continue on to New York and Philadelphia to engage throngs of people looking to get a selfie with him. However, will his message ring true with them as they continue in their daily lives once he is gone?
How do we truly bring our species on the whole to the revelation that we have destroyed so much of our only home that time is limited regarding getting any of it back if that is even possible? Beyond all the caravans, handshakes and endless media coverage what will be the result? Has the connection between climate, water and its connection to our very souls been relayed? No, it has not, and until we on the whole understand that connection I fear time will overtake us.
Jesus stated that you will thirst again drinking only physical water. However, water of the spirit will satisfy your thirst forever. We need to seek out that river of knowledge so we may never be thirsty again. I wish Pope Francis well and thank him for his message of environmental awareness. I pray we receive it in time.
