Blog 642 – 05.24.2017
Water Brothers

One of my all time favorite science fiction books is Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. It is a marvelous story of a young man raised on Mars by Martians with some remarkable abilities and some quaint customs. One of those customs he learned on Mars was that sharing a glass of water with someone made them a special relative, a Water Brother. And the commitment to a Water Brother was a solemn and serious one. A man from Galilee started an exclusive club like that around a supper table sharing a cracker and some juice, and it really was a cracker (unleavened bread) and wine, you teetotalers. As I recall he even initiated a Water Brother ceremony called Baptism too. But back to my Martian friend’s idea of a water brother.

Anyone who shared water with Michael Smith, the Man from Mars, was entitled not only to a share in his vast inheritance but Mike would gladly lay down his life to protect a Water Brother or do anything within his considerable power to help them. He was so serious about not wasting water or food, both quite scarce on the planet he grew up on, that he offended some of his Water Brothers by requesting that they feast on his body when he died. It would be his honor and he did not like to waste food.

Water Brothers were not limited to men, like some “males only” club, but women were Water Brothers too. In fact the first one Mike met on earth was a nurse who offered him a glass of water not knowing at the time what a serious ceremony she was initiating. I think sometimes we under estimate the simple things in life. It is even written in the Bible that those who give a simple drink of water to a thirsting stranger will not lose their reward. I think we are all water brothers and that having a glass together or a meal is a very sacred ritual bonding and binding us together as “forever family.” But I think really that all that joining together took place even before this journey began. And it may well be that we have enjoyed already countless adventures together.

Let me raise a glass to you, all of my Water Brothers, with this toast. Bon Voyage on this particular adventure and all those yet to come. Drink deeply and I paraphrase Papa, “It is always a joy to let the healing, cleansing, binding, and bonding waters flow.”

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White