One of the main elements of my novel is water. Tales of a Redheaded Sea-Witch would be nothing if water didn't exist. But also, the main character wouldn't have her powers. Sometime after I began writing this book, I realized that I was writing about something that absolutely terrifies me. That's right, I'm afraid of water. Maybe it's because my parents put me in swimming lessons when I was too young. Maybe it's because of that one time my aunt took me down a water-slide and I swallowed a lungful of water. Whatever it was, it stuck. To this day I hate swimming.
But I do love water.
My favorite thing about water is how it quenches thirst. My second favourite thing is a cascading waterfall and how awesomely mesmerizing it is to watch gallon after gallon of fresh, clear glacier water come pounding over a cliff. Whenever I travel, I try to visit a waterfall. The picture below is from one of the road trips I took this summer. This waterfall is Takakkaw, in Yoho National Park in British Columbia. This is one of the most beautiful and accessible waterfalls I've ever been too. Even though you can drive right up to it, it's still in the middle of nature (unlike certain other falls on the opposite end of the continent). You could walk right up to the base of Takakkaw, and feel the cold, chilly spray on your skin. I loved it.
But I do love water.
My favorite thing about water is how it quenches thirst. My second favourite thing is a cascading waterfall and how awesomely mesmerizing it is to watch gallon after gallon of fresh, clear glacier water come pounding over a cliff. Whenever I travel, I try to visit a waterfall. The picture below is from one of the road trips I took this summer. This waterfall is Takakkaw, in Yoho National Park in British Columbia. This is one of the most beautiful and accessible waterfalls I've ever been too. Even though you can drive right up to it, it's still in the middle of nature (unlike certain other falls on the opposite end of the continent). You could walk right up to the base of Takakkaw, and feel the cold, chilly spray on your skin. I loved it.
My third favourite element of water is the rain. I find it clean, refreshing, and rejuvenating no matter how cold it is, or how small and prickly. Whenever I feel absolutely, completely horrible, I want it to rain. Because I feel like the rain can be that emotion. But in the spring, when everything is dusty and grey and my spirits are picking up after a long winter, I want it to rain too because I want everything to be green and bright.
Water can be many things, and it can mean many different things to many different people. There is one overall truth that exists for everyone though: we cannot live without water. It gives us life. Without it we'd be dust.
What does water mean to you?
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