“Once you carry your own water, you will learn the value of every drop.” (Source unknown; quote & image came across my social media feed this morning.)
Totally! I do it. I mean, I live in a normal city house where we have running water and indoor shower and all.
But I myself largely utilize rainwater, which I scoop and hand-carry to the trees & other plants in the yard, and take “peace corps showers” in my outdoor enclosure, and use for washing clothes in a tub and so on.
Definitely I feel every single drop I carry! Especially in the dry season when it’s starting to get hot and the rains haven’t come yet.
And I’m very conscious of rainfall patterns as well. When a drought comes, and the barrels start getting low, I start to get worried!
BTW this post is also true in a broader sense of opportunity / resources other than water. In my permaculture practice I have observed that constraint sparks innovation, whereas extreme abundance can lead to waste.
Speaking of carrying water, one of my favorite quotes is: “Before enlightenment, carry water, chop wood. After enlightenment, carry water, chop wood.” (It’s a Zen quote, and when I get a minute, I will double check to see if I find a more specific source and also to see if I got the word order right from memory.)