Day 211: Water: The Giver of Life and Destroyer of Ceiling Tiles

I wrote the title when I was in Alaska, staring at the ceiling that had attempted to collapse several times. A large portion of the tiles was supported by a couple of thin boards nailed into something else in the ceiling. I didn’t trust them a damn bit, but they never fell. The water damage was impressive. As I sat, also drinking a glass of water, it got me thinking about the irony of water. Organically, it is an imperative part of all life, and at the same time it is capable of dissolving almost anything, given enough time.

Hydrogen and oxygen, mixed together, create the most powerful substance on this planet. I think of that not just in terms of destruction but of creation. There is no other element that we know of that is responsible for both. It’s astounding. It is the zen of all elements. Too much of it and we would die or drown. Too little of it and we would surely die. It is called the universal solvent because it can dissolve “more substances than any other liquid” (USGS.gov).

Now, I wonder if water is great universally, or do we think it is great because we are mostly made up of water? If we didn’t need water to live, would we still drink it?

It’s just a thought.