Water and Me

I remember when I was in college studying Broadcast Communication, the first thing our professor asked us to do in front of the cam was to introduce ourselves using a thing that would best describe us (or the personality we wanted to assume). We had to expound on the reason within a minute or two.

I remember clearly as if it was just yesterday, that I chose without second thoughts water. For one, I was drinking at least 12 glasses of water at that time (now I’m only averaging 8). Perhaps because I was exaggeratedly soaked with the idea that water is good to our health (now I know this is not always true) especially for people like me who have had history for kidney disease. It’s common knowledge that water flushes out bodily wastes and helps prevent the formation of “stones” in our excretory system. “Kaya nga huwag na kayong magtaka kung halos kakambal ko na ang isang bote ng tubig tulad nito (raising a piece of bottled water),” I remember reciting from a pre-written script.

But I guess I chose water during that interesting class exercise because I was amazed by its salient traits and wondrous properties. When asked of a similar question in another class (Radio Production and Direction), I remember uttering an answer as profound as a beauty queen’s: “Like the sea, I am deep…that’s my selling point. I could also be hot or cold- I need not to elaborate (then winks). I could be as soft and caressing like a hotspring to a woman’s skin and I could also be as hard and tough as ice if I needed to. Because water can take the form of its container, it is very flexible. And such flexibility and versatility are traits I’ve always wanted to develop. When something happens not according to plan, I could respond quickly gracefully. I think that distinguishes the wise from the foolish.”

That was almost four years ago. I wonder, if I were asked of the same question again today, would I still choose water? May be yes. But I would deliver a different piece. That is: To go against the flow – to not always bow down to what others think or expect of you. While the rivers flow downwards to form falls, the water of the world's greatest oceans still flows freely. Your mind then should also flow freely. It should not be contained. Dams control water but they still let them flow, lest dams would become gigantic depots of spoiled water (parang kanal).

Oh well. Of all things, bakit tubig pa ang napili kong topic for my first ever blog? Hay naku…may be my mind right now is just running like a stream.