Aya & Luca by the murky river

Walking along the nearby river, Aya and Luca noticed the murky water.

A woman filling a bucket shook her head. “The river is sick.”

Luca kneeled and touched a leaf floating. “How can a river get sick?”

Aya pointed to the footpath upstream. There were signs of people using the bushes as toilets.
“The water carries everything. Even the things we try to hide.”

They watched the slow current for a long moment.

Luca whispered, “And people still drink this?”

Aya nodded. “When there are no toilets, the river is the toilet. But it’s still the water we use to cook, wash, play... and sometimes drink. Then we get sick. And then...”

She didn’t finish, her eyes wet with the memory of friends they missed.

The river burbled, as if trying to breathe.

Luca stood still, confused and thoughtful.
“If the river takes care of everyone... who takes care of the river?”

Aya watched the murky water drift past and murmured,
“If something belongs to all of us,
it can be harmed by just one of us…
and healed only by all of us. ”


Wishing everyone a safe, clean and dignified World Toilet Day 💧🙏