I am the grandmother of every drop of water on this planet.

I am the vast ocean that dives into the darkness of the oceanic ridges.

I am the force of a storm. My waves sing lullabies to all beings.

My ocean currents are rivers of life.

I, Grandmother Ocean, gave life to this planet.

I am the source that sustains life. My ancestral wisdom flows from the history of the Earth.

Each and every one of you needs me—strong and flourishing—to live.

I am the spring in the mountains. I am the groundwater that nourishes rivers, cities, and forests.

I come from the cosmos and belong to the story of the stars. I gave life to this planet. From my waters, Earth was born.

I am in the clouds, in the fog that wraps a cold morning.

I am the hydrological cycle that sustains the planet.

I am present in every place on Earth:

In the deserts, I hide in the stems of cacti and in deep aquifers, and I bloom in oases.

My waters reach the highest peaks of the Himalayas, covering the surfaces in white.

I travel through the depths of the oceans where light dissolves in the water column.

I am the thread that connects life in every corner of the planet.

Here I am, calling your attention to remind you that we are One,

One Planet, One Ocean.

EMELINA CORRALES CORDERO

ILLUSTRATED BY VIRGINIA MAZZEO