As we come upon summer there is one thing that is on the mind of just about every child; swimming! It doesn’t matter if the kids get into the ocean, a lake, a pool, or just have a sprinkler to run through. They just want to get wet. And if most of us adults are honest, we want to get right in there with them.

We also enjoy water throughout the rest of the year whether we soak in a hot tub or Jacuzzi, throw some scented salts or bath oils into our own bath tub, or just take a long hot shower and let the spray soothe our muscles and tensions of the day away.

What is it about water that calls to us so much?

I believe one of the strongest reasons is because we all begin our lives surrounded by water. With no exception, each of us rests for approximately 9 months in our Mother’s womb floating safe and warm. No wonder we come out screaming at the world! When I have the rare opportunity to have a pool to myself I love to just float on my back, immersed as far as I can (especially my ears) so that sound is muffled, there is no pressure, and it is pure relaxation.

Then also, there is the fact that our bodies are made up of approximately 55-60% water. Water is literally a part of us. Our blood would not flow without it. It is the catch 22 in ERs; a person who is severely dehydrated desperately needs an IV of saline solution started – but it is extremely difficult to find the blood vessels because they have collapsed from the dehydration. As a rule of thumb, the human body can only go about 3 days without water as opposed to 3 weeks without food.

But even before we knew all these scientific facts about water – man has felt the pull, the siren call of this element.

The ancient Greeks and Romans both had tremendous respect for the God of the Seas; Poseidon & Neptune, respect and fear. Poseidon especially was known for being vengeful as much as benevolent. He could cause the oceans to rise against a ship or give fair voyage. Sailors often would offer a sacrifice of horses to the Sea God to appease him before setting sail.

And of course farmers know the importance of water. Many, many cultures since the dawn of man have offered sacrifices or performed elaborate ceremonies to call for rain for their crops. But rain is a delicate balancing act as any farmer can tell you. Crops must have enough rain to grow, but too much can drown them. A severe storm such as a hurricane can wipe out an entire season’s crops.

Finally, water is cleansing. You my readers are probably going, “well – yeah, we knew that!” but I refer to cleansing in the spiritual manner as well as the physical manner. Christians will of course recognize baptizing or sprinkling in water as a symbol of cleansing the soul in Christ’s blood. Many pagan religions will go through a ritual bath as a first step in preparing themselves for worship; a physical symbol of cleansing their spirit in order to make themselves ready.

Water is a powerful element that is often underappreciated, taken for granted, and underestimated. For those of us living in the Western world we have but to turn on a tap and we have clean water at our beck and call. Most of us do not live through water’s rages. Yet a Mother living in Nairobi that needs water for her child knows just how precious a 12 oz. bottle of Dasani is. A family who is still putting their lives back together after Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana may never look at a rain cloud the same way again. Immigrants fleeing from Haiti often face the rages of the ocean in tiny boats not meant for travel on the open waters.

Water is to be respected. It can be soft and nurturing or hard and destructive. Its mood flows just like its waves. It is essential to our lives and to our souls.