THE WINNER IN YOU

“Whatever, Yaya! You’re such a loser!”

Sounds familiar? This is the tagline we usually hear from Angelina, the spoiled brat in one comedy scene we watch on TV, as she mischievously and pathetically bullies her nanny to humiliation. But what does this have to do with water? My friends, it has everything to do with water and what awaits us in the near future. Irrelevant as it may seem to be, but that simple phrase can aid us in unraveling the mystery of our infamous dilemma on water preservation. A phrase that can determine life and death and, possibly, the extermination of the whole human race.

For centuries and centuries, man has been using water to sustain his life on earth. It has been quite so long that even I, for one, often come to thinking that this supply is maybe eternal and can accommodate all life forms currently on earth and for millennia and millennia to come. Alas! It is only but a dream. Time will come when the earth’s supply of freshwater and saltwater, alike, will continue to be polluted and contaminated until such time the word “potable” is no longer appropriate to use on any body of water. Not any, not even a single drop. If it happens, life on earth will no longer be possible. Life will cease to exist and will result to mass, or even worse, total extinction. The once called “living planet” will be nothing but a dead boulder afloat in the vast expanse of timeless space.

Who is to blame for this dreadful and devastating scenario? Is it you? You? Or perhaps you. The answer lies within the waters themselves. Yes my friends. Ask the waters who the culprit is and they will respond to you even before you can formulate the question in your heads. Stare into its depths and you will see the perpetrator. Gaze through them and behold your eyes, behold your own reflection gazing back at your so-called innocent face. The truth is, we are all criminals here! Criminals to our own world, to our fellow, to ourselves and to the generations that are still to come. Though we are caught unaware, we have wasted several galloons or more of usable water in our entire life about every way possible. Over the years, we have corrupted Mother Earth’s precious fluid. We have degraded its beauty and essence and we ignore the possible outcome of our actions. Aha! Ignorance! That is the word. The word where it all began. If a man had only taken care of his ONLY habitat; if man had only been careful about his conduct, then we would not be suffering from water deficiency when the time comes. Our lack of knowledge and awareness of our surroundings and our actions toward them guarantee us a one-way ticket to suffering and death.

But fear not, my friends! As the old saying goes, “even the smallest light cuts through an entire pool of darkness”. There is still hope left for each of us. With perseverance and determination, we can be capable of transforming this small light of hope into an awesome rainbow of genuine satisfaction and faith. Open your eyes and take time to realize and reflect. Unlock your hearts and let love and mercy for your own sphere of life reign. Let us all be winners and taste a drip of victory.

For why was David able to stand against Goliath when the army of Israel pulled back in fear? It is because David saw Goliath not as a big threat too big to hit, but a target too big to miss. Most of the time, it’s not the situation that has the complication. It’s the way we see things that matter in determining our victory.

We all travel through life. And as we journey on, we packed ourselves with essential components for us to survive. Along with this, is the responsibility to take care of them. We will not wait for the time when we can no longer taste the drip of safe and quality water. Let us make a move and move responsibly as good stewards of God’s creation.

It has never been too late. As concerned individuals of this ever-growing society, we can contribute to the conservation of this very vital element. Even in our little way, at least, hand in hand, inch by inch, we will take part in providing solutions to this problem.

If a child, a being without much knowledge and understanding can save an ounce of water each day; then why can’t we? We, who have been educated from various institutions. Thus, we shall utilize what we have learned. Together, we must unite as one, and make the salvation of our water system our main goal to preserve the existence of mankind and all that dwell in this living macrocosm.

Ignorance has claimed many lives as far as anyone can remember. Sanity is the only cure. Learn to think and deduce and surely you will make a difference. Make a difference and be able to influence other people with regard to water conservation. Through this, we will be able to save countless lives. For water conservation is preservation of life itself.

Let us all together put a stop to our own alienation and hear the cries of our water resource. We have already broken our covenant with the earth and we have caused our watersheds to bleed. However, Only God can transform a greedy heart to repentance. Let us allow HIM to reign in our hearts and discover the “winner” in us.

Let us not wait when it is water’s turn to say: “Whatever! Humans are really losers!”

Contest : 15^th Citywide Oratorical Contest

Theme : Water and Sanitation for Life’s Preservation

Speaker : Princess Grace I. Tura

Coach/Written : Jodison A। Tanutan, RN। / Levi Dean Uy

School : DAVAO WISDOM ACADEMY