Thoughts on water. More than just another element. It's techonology.
I’ve always had an interesting relationship with water. This is a short read, and I think it’s worth staying with until the end.
As an adult, I’ve rarely drunk enough of it. Yet I find myself thinking about it more and more. Not casually, but with a kind of curiosity that feels almost nostalgic.
Growing up in Saudi Arabia, I couldn’t get enough. The water there was something else. Crisp, cold, impossibly clean. I remember stopping at every cooler on campus just to drink. Years later, a childhood friend confirmed what I had always suspected. It came from deep aquifers. No wonder it tasted like liquid gold.
It made an impression on me. Not just as something refreshing, but as something intentional. Water, at its best, doesn’t feel like a default. It feels designed.
Since then, I’ve moved around the world. In Bangkok, I caught glimpses of that same experience, but nothing quite matched what I grew up with. Over time, I lost interest. Drinking water became more of a task than something I enjoyed. Bottled water filled the gap, but it never really landed, outside of the occasional bottle of Fiji Water that came close.
Now in Houston, something has shifted.
The summers are hotter. My gardening obsession has grown deeper. I pay attention to what my plants need to thrive, and it’s made me think more intentionally about what I’m giving myself. Hydration feels less like a checkbox and more like an input that actually matters.
Travel taught me that not all water is created equal. Taste a bottle of Fiji next to most others and the difference is obvious. But it also made me realize something else. Access to high-quality water, water that people actually want to drink, is not universal. And when it is, it changes behavior.
I’m starting to see water not just as a necessity, but as an experience. One that influences how we feel, how we function, and how we take care of ourselves.
And I think that’s why I can’t stop thinking about it.
Until recently, I thought the only thing that mattered was that we drink water. Water and life are so much more connected than we give credit for, and in so many ways. One night, during dinner with a friend who’s part Japanese, I was asked, “Have you ever read the studies on water?”
That question led me to Masaru Emoto’s book The Hidden Messages in Water. With a 4.7/5 rating and stories that stay with you, it’s a short but powerful read. If audio learning is more appealing to you, this video on YouTube brings his research to life. The big idea?
Water responds to energy and even words. And since we’re made up of 60-70% water… shouldn’t we care more about the water that makes us? One mind-blowing detail that came of these studies is that water has memory! Yes, according to this study, it can be exposed to words and music and retain the vibration. So, think about it, our water source is something any of you reading DO have control over. I’m providing solutions here!
This curiosity has shifted my habits. I bought a shower filter, and the difference I saw was fairly fast and noticeable: softer skin, healthier hair, and better results in maintaining treatments. (Pro tip: great stylists know the water they wash your hair with makes all the difference.) I also started experimenting with daily facial ice water baths, just 30 seconds split into two rounds. It’s bracing, but it wakes up my body, mind, and spirit before taking on big projects throughout the week.
And here’s my most “wild” thought: if water can be influenced, why not program it? I bought clear carafes and wrote select positive words on them, things like “love,” and “gratitude.” We’ll call them mini prayers for me. Whether you call it programming, prayer, or intention-setting, the experiments show that love and gratitude create the most beautiful water crystals and a more beautiful life.
Believe it or not, this has changed how I see the everyday act of drinking water. Small shifts in awareness can bring needed changes, maybe even just 10% increases in energy, mood, or clarity. It’s worth it.
So now I want to hear from you:
What’s the most surprising or fun fact you’ve learned about water? Drop it in the comments, I’d love to swap ideas and experiment.
