A lot of people I spoke to during Ramadan this summer mentioned that although the fasts were long, they didn’t feel hungry as much as they thought they would have.

However, due to the heat, the thirst pangs were quite frequent. I remember, upon opening the fast, the first thing that would come to my mind was water, and it would pretty much fill me up too.

After a month of continuous fasting, it feels odd being able to drink water whenever you want, doesn’t it? It just highlights what we take for granted in our daily lives.

Water is an extremely important element in life. It amounts to over 60% of our body weight. Human blood is actually made up of over two-thirds water, as well as our lungs and, of course, the human brain.

Lack of hydration can have a major impact on the body. Lethargy and weakness set in, as well as dizziness and head pain. Chronic dehydration can severely impact kidney function and also brain functionality.

The average human being can survive over 30 days without food, but not even a quarter of that without water. This should go some way in explaining the importance of hydration in the human body.

Now, let’s think about our normal daily routines and imagine what would happen if something as simple as water wasn’t readily available to us. I will talk about a typical day in my life…

Morning

Wake up, perform wudhu (ablution) and perform Fajr salaah (morning prayer)
Sleep another few hours
Wake up, use the washroom and brush my teeth
Steam iron clothes, get ready and drive to work
Get to work, make tea, begin daily tasks

Afternoon

Go home to pray salaah, perform wudhu again, beforehand
Have something to eat and drink
Take medication with some water
Back to work and tea/juice throughout until the end of day

Evening

Go home, prepare and eat a meal with family, enjoying a cold drink
Wash the dishes, wash some clothes and relax until evening prayer; perhaps go grocery shopping, if needed
Perform wudhu followed by Maghrib prayer. Have a cup of tea and catch up with friends and family
Have a shower, wash my hair
Brush my teeth again
Remove contact lenses and wash eyes
Moisturise my skin and cleanse my face
Go to bed
Now, read through those three sections again and imagine if there was no water. Then imagine day two and day three…

Impossible, right? Maybe because our glasses are always half full, perhaps?

Now let’s stop and think about the thousands of people out there who have no access to clean water. For example, 90% of Gaza’s water is currently contaminated and unsafe for human consumption. But this is just one of many examples, where water is in short supply and people are suffering because of it.

Our glasses may be half full, but perhaps it’s time to support those whose glasses are half empty or nearly empty!