Water rites

 As a kid I had a scuba diver toy and I would pretend to be an underwater diver.  The depths I let my mind roam were the downstairs sink with my imagination taking me much deeper and farther to oceans abroad.  On Saturday morning cartoons my must-see was SUPER FRIENDS and my favorite superhero, Aquaman. 

As swimming season begins, I love the pool toys where the game is to throw them far and then race out, dive down and gather as many as one can.  Then, deep breath and under to bring up more. 

My childhood swimming was the Buffalo Creek and sans pool toys we played the game "Who Can Bring Up the Biggest Rock."  Same concept, yet with very limited vision due to the muddy waters and rocks of varying sizes. To be counted the rock had to be out of the water and placed on the shoreline. Competition would settle in and someone would be underwater for an anxious amount of time only to surface and sputter, "There's a huge rock, yet, I can't lift it myself. Can you help?"  Of course, we could and several bodies would dive down to the depths of the creek.

In adulthood, I have snorkled in the clear, blue waters off the Bahamas.  I was mesmerized and 15 minutes later lifted my face out of the water to find that I was a long way out to sea.  

We are drawn to water: creeks, lakes, rivers, oceans we play, pray and long to stay.

 

Today is the birthday of Jacques Cousteau hence all these ramblings about water.  Cousteau is quoted as saying, "people protect what they love."   The great Pacific Garbage Patch is an indictment on our waste and throw away society.  

Pun intended yet every reckless action we do to the environment and the waters we share has a ripple effect. the plastic garbage stretching over the waters blocks sunlight from entering the water thus stunting the growh of oceant plants and needed algae; fish digest the residue from the plastic, humans eat the fish, we all get sick.  Look to the waters for a sense of the health and vitality of the planet and take good care.