By Mark Antony Rossi

Some say water is a human right. Some say it’s commodity like gold or silver. But whatever the final definition—water is a universal necessity on Earth. In a modern society we take water for granted. I certainly took it for granted until my home was hit by a hurricane. I had warning. I had a week’s worth of water stockpiled.

Yet the inconvenience and then the unhygienic absurdity of not flushing toilet bowls for four days — brings home the realization of how blessed the average citizen of a planned community truly is.

The lessons of using the stored water wisely will be ingrained in my young boys who learned as much about themselves as the environment. They volunteered to help clean the community and neighbor’s property in an effort to give back to many suffering from damage and depression.

My sons, one who celebrated a ninth birthday in the middle of America’s worse hurricane, have grown up a bit faster this past week. Normally a parent would lament any accelerated growth as another sign of the times. But they need the perspective.

I was born a city child. I have a more metropolitan attitude than I prefer to admit. I know little of nature since I grew up with low cement and high art. I mock rain. Don’t understand animals. And pay little attention to weather reports.

Somebody else’s problem became mine this week. A tree fell 2.5 feet from the master bedroom. All my preparation could not prevent a danger lurking in the background. The tail of a tornado spinning past my family’s lives permits a finer point on the frailty of existence and the luxury of water. I shall appreciate these elements with more reverence in the days going forward.

About the Author: Mark Antony Rossi is a poet, playwright and author of the bioethics volume “Dark Tech” now available from Amazon. His most recent plays have been produced in Liverpool and New York.

http://ethical-stranger.webnode.com/ 

Writer’s Facebook

Writer’s Twitter