Water - Important For A Good Society

            We have been taught the importance of water, the elixir of life, the need to conserve and all these things. That is fine with me too. But I would like to share another important factor of water because I feel that you should know it,  it really can help you a lot in smoothening your life, your daily existence.

            I heard this topic in a retreat, the speaker, a professor of science. The story starts thus, A scientist accidentally found out that when crystallized water observed under the microscope had different shapes like stars, etc... but it wasn’t uniform or similar. He took water from different places and made into ice and observed it under the microscope and saw totally sifferent set of designs.

            Then one day he crystallized the water he had placed on the table to drink and there he found that the water was in the shape of a dolphin jumping up. He couldn’t comprehend why the water had this shape and this made him think and he looked into all theories but nothing matched, so that night he went to sleep with only this thought in mind and at night he felt thirsty, he switched on his bedside lamp and he accidentally knocked on a photo on the table, he straightened it and saw that it was a photo of a dolphin jumping from water, his eyes widened. He left his bedside water and went and drank from the kitchen. He crystallised his bedside water and found the same image – of a dolphin. He crystallised his water from the kitchen, no shape of a dolphin. He placed a photo of an elephant and placed a glass of water in front of it and when crystallised and observed under the microscope he found it took the shape of the elephant. He was awed by this property of water.

            At this time another scientist was testing another property of water, responding to circumstances. He took two beaker glasses and added a spoon of cooked rice in each glass and poured half a glass of water in both the beakers. He kept the two beakers in two rooms. He always said nice things like you are very nice, I appreciate it that you are doing wonderfully, I love to be with you, I love you, you look smart, etc... to the beaker in the first room. Then he spoke all the bad things like you are good for nothing, you are not fit for anything, I hate you, I hate your looks, you are not reliable, etc..... This continued for a week and after 1 week he found out that the first room beaker was just like it was placed, the water was clear and just the rice was a bit soggy. But the second room beaker was black and had started stinking. You might ask, So What? How does it connect with our life?

            Human body is more than 70% water and when you criticise somebody regularly, always say bad things, the result is he won’t produce the desired output. He would be a good – for – nothing person. You made him that. You are responsible for making him good -  for – nothing. Instead why don’t you use nice words and nice encouragement with the criticism, then you can get the desired result within a jiffy. Your parents, your wife / husband, your kids, your siblings, office staff, these are the people who are always with you. They are the people who would benefit from your words.

            I would like to give an example my dad taught me when I was young. He didn’t like criticism, but he wanted to say it was terrible, so he gave me an idea how to put it to the person. We were in my cousin’s house and my cousin John was a teenager. It was the time when  boys wore their hair long and take bath only once a week to look a bit rugged. Aunty seeing his son, in this shape got angry and started scolding him with lots of words, criticising him, etc.. naturally John got angry. My father along with me invited John to go sightseeing, as we were new to this place. He was angry but he consented. Then my dad whispered I’m going to make him cut his hair, just look. We walked slowly and we talked about lots of things and then my dad said, “Hey John, you look cool in this outfit, is it the new trend?” Yeah Uncle.  Hmm. Your hair style is good but there is something missing, because you are so good looking, that look doesn’t come out with this style, did you try any other style like tying a pony tail or a little braid. He pointed at some boys who adopted his same fashion and showed the difference. But that doesn’t mean that your style is bad. Its good, but I want you to look good, show your features out so that girls could look at you. But if you think this style suits you, then keep it, you’re OK. I was thinking of buying you a perfume. “What for uncle?” I don’t know, there is an odd smell, which won’t be liked by all if you’re going with your friends out, I thought that they shouldn’t leave you out. Then we bought him a good perfume, a set of dress, shoes and some things for aunty and uncle too and we returned home. At night during dinner, I couldn’t believe that John was a different boy, his hair cut short and had taken a good bath too. His parents were thunderstruck but we just smiled and my dad, said, “Now you’ve become our smart John. But that doesn’t mean, the other style is bad, OK?” John smiled and said you were right uncle, everyone felt the difference, my friends too. I think most of my friends cut their hair seeing my difference. So I think this style suits me. I’ll keep it. Dad said to me, “See Meena, I told you know John is an intelligent guy?” I nodded and smiled at John. Then we had a hearty meal and that was that. So there are different ways to say terrible things, find it and use it and try not to make human bodies a gutter. Best of luck.

Meena