water bottle

There was something about water bottles.

Her first one was small, could only hold 8 ounces of liquid, and had a sippy-cup lid. Vibrant green with spots of darker green, the cup was always around. At home, she would hold it while watching TV. At daycare, she would have it within arm’s reach as she played with blocks and counted coins. At each meal, her parents or teacher would refill the bottle, and she would trot away, content. The bottle was a constant presence; she needed to always be near it. When her mother took the bottle away to wash it, the little girl would sit by the sink and watch with attentive eyes. Through the night, the bottle would be by her bedside, resting on a table while the girl rested her body and mind.

Eventually, she replaced the bottle. The little girl grew up into a mature young adult. Her tiny bottle grew into a 64-ounce insulated flask carrying her whole day’s worth of water. She’d fill the bottle with coffee for the day if she needed a boost. The bright colors and bold patterns disappeared, replaced by a strikingly dull white sheen. The sippy-cup lid was replaced by a heavy-duty clamp, complete with a carabiner hook. This new bottle was heavy, akin to the girl’s mind after a day of work. She no longer had the luxury of watching her mother wash the bottle every week. Nowadays, it was her own task.

But she never completely forgot the green bottle from her youth. The woman, now grown, had come to the conclusion that her feelings did not have to be suppressed. Her plain white water bottle was replaced with a bright blue plastic bottle. Light and reusable, this new bottle almost perfectly reflected her outlook on life. She spent her weekends outdoors, camping and hiking in the woods with her water bottle. She slung her bag over her shoulder and took off down the mountainside, clinging to her bottle in one hand. She valued her time and made sure to spend it with people she enjoyed, doing activities she enjoyed in places she enjoyed. Her light water bottle swung from her fingertips as she laughed and walked. Maybe this was the future she’d wanted when she was little.