Water Is Life

When I was growing up my mother would say that we are made up of 86% water. Today, I’m told it is more like 60% for men and 50% for women. She would say it is important to save water to water our plants, to water our garden, so we saved water in a rain barrel.

She would make sure no one was wasting water. She reused water when she could.

I was at a meeting with two women who came down from the tar sands area in Canada. They were there to say that it is important to save the water, as it is in trouble. They talked about the importance for our families and we, as women are tasked with this job.

They said it is the women’s job to save the water. There were women from all different nationalities at that meeting. They didn’t say it is the Native women’s job. They said it is the women’s job.

As it is I thought how my mother and grandmother would be so upset that we are buying bottled water. How expensive it is. How we can’t eat the fish or drink the water from lakes and streams.

How we have to have filtered water due to the chemicals in the ground. I wrote something in 2017 about how water is life. I found it to print my daughters friend a copy of that book.

February 8, 2017

Standing Rock. What happened is not a shock.

You can clearly see how money is winning.

Greed, corruption will take us all spinning.

Ignorance plays a part. We must not lose heart.

The Bible talks of the wrath of God.

Some talk of karma.

I grew up hearing how what goes around comes around.

I have lived enough years to see it all and more abound.

And so have many of you, my friends,

so sing and dance and celebrate mother earth, the sky,

the four directions, the birds that fly,

the four legged and the water critters,

and all living things.

Leave the strife behind and always remember

that Water is Life.

By: Joanna Frisby — stick figure art.

February 8, 2017, continued…

Part two: What’s up doc at Standing Rock?

A demonstration that would not win.

Mainstream media was not allowed in. There was spin

going on there. Even though it wasn’t fair,

the people would make a difference as they did share

their experience wherever they could.

It isn’t possible in this day to keep the truth at bay,

with the internet the way it is today.

Our people will continue to say that didn’t get us where we need to be.

And some will say it did get us support that we didn’t expect to see.

Some of us have ceremony every week and it’s singing,

talking and walking,

while some seek a place to walk

while they talk,

all carry water and this is like winning the lottery.

Like pottery,

so beautiful for me to see.

Spreading throughout this country.

Thanking the Creator,

we are giving back for our life.

Saying prayers for our mother,

our brother,

our birth,

and all on this earth.

Let us all leave the strife

behind and always remember that Water is Life.

~~~~~~~~

First published by Mercury Press on medium.com