Water brings life. Water is life. Civilization has always depended up on water to grow and flourish. Every great civilization learned to master water, Progress does not mean leaving the past behind; it means taking the best parts of the past and raising them up to be our future. It means shedding inefficiencies and destructive habits in order to promote success and happiness. Water was and always will be essential.

It is universally accepted that safe drinking water will define the struggles of the next century. It is also certain to me that progress will not outgrow water. Instead it will come to define us more as we rediscover the importance of this gift we have so arrogantly abused.

As we become more urban we must transform our cities into communities. We must offer recreation and access to nature not only for our physical health but also our mental and spiritual wellbeing. Every major religion has a sacred relationship with water and so does every single person, regardless of creed or geography.

I suppose it is fitting that as a child in every cartoon or book that I ever read that involved elemental powers I always wanted the power of water. It fascinated me. Something so essential and life sustaining could also be a powerful weapon of destruction and force. Water is both calm and wrathful. It can bring serenity and panic.

The water cycle is beyond fascinating in that water seems to come from nowhere and disappear as well. We only see one part of the river’s flow. And the entire river is only a small part of the global flow. I dream of following the flow of a great river from its origin to the ocean. To see the amazing journey water takes and all the ways it influences the world along the way.