Growing up in Myitkyina township, I have been connected to nature since I was young. Myitkyina is often translated as “near the great river,” referring to its location near the following together with Mali River and N’Mai River, which eventually form the Irrawaddy River. The river is surrounded by green mountains, glitters with fish, and flows gracefully. Most riverside residents chill and relax while watching a sunset in the evening, sitting on the green grass. Sometimes, a group of young people, including me, play guitar and joyfully sing, sitting near the river.
The river and the garden were the places where I spent most of my childhood. When I was young, I enjoyed swimming in the river just near my home. Although I feared that my mother would scold me for swimming, I always chose to swim. I had always loved the river and the freedom of swimming regardless of my mother’s scolding. After returning from school, I would put my bags on the desk and hurry to the river to fish with my friends. After fishing, I carried some fish to my mother, who was pleased as we could make curry for dinner. At that moment, my mother’s face was happy and bright like the moon, so she had no reason to scold me. However, sometimes I did not return the fish to my home. Instead, I went to the local fish shop to sell them and earned a small pocket money without telling my mother. As a single mother, my mother was often incapable of satisfying all my needs and wants during my childhood. However, I never was annoyed at my mother and found ways to fulfill my wants, such as selling fish to earn pocket money.
My mother engaged in small-scale pig breeding and gardening, growing vegetables in the family’s garden yard. On the weekends, my friends and I spent our days by the river, catching fish and bringing them home to cook with fresh vegetables from my mother’s garden, together we made a delicious Kachin fish curry. Kachin fish curry was very spicy and good to eat, causing our faces to flush like we had eaten chili. We made fun of by watching each other chili faces I never forget memorable moments with friends. And then, my mother always taught me to be grateful for the natural land and to maintain the natural beauty as much as we could. In our garden, my mother never used chemical fertilizers. My mother only used natural fertilizers in her garden, including pig dung and food scraps, to create a beneficial environment while reducing kitchen waste. This method not only increased collaboration within the family but also contributed to environmental sustainability. Although my family was not materially wealthy, I experienced deep emotional fulfillment and happiness due to the strong sense of unity under my mother’s leadership.
We have loved the river and the natural land, but we did not fully understand how to live in balance with them. When we, humans, fail to maintain a harmonious relationship with nature, the consequences can be harsh. Nature will teach us the hard lessons of imbalance when we neglect it. Who would believe that a river, so joyful and lively, could bring tears and take away everything one possesses in just one day? Flooding often happens in Myitkyina but it is rare for the whole town to flood so swiftly. I have lived for two decades and faced flooding twice in my life. The first time was when I was a baby, too young to understand the difficulties. That was 20 years ago in 2004, when the entire city was flooded. But this year on July 1, 2024, I faced the floods again as an adult. The flood this year was an unforgettable moment in our family. I cried more than I ever expected, as everything we had possessed and created was taken by the flood in just one night. As much as I loved the river when I was young, that night I felt upset and depressed because of the flood.
During the flood, the pigs who had been a source of income for us, were trapped. We tried to get to them, but the water was rising so fast, and it was impossible to save them in time. The lower part of the house also flooded, as floodwaters rose quickly and reached a high level. We could not go down to the house due to the quick rise of the water. I stood and watched helplessly as the floodwaters rose from the upper house. I watched with many tears as everything was destroyed before me. The small garden, symbolizing our family’s hard work, memories, and pride, was in ruins. It was not just the pigs or the garden but the dream we had built together happily. All that effort had been washed away in a few hours. While I could not hold back my tears, my mother said “We will rebuild again, we have faced worse before, haven’t we?” With many tears, I said, “Yes, we have passed”. That night, my resilient mother shared how she struggled and started everything from nothing when my father passed away. She encouraged me to stay strong because in our life, some conditions are beyond our control and we must face them with a resilient mindset.
Though I lost so much, the lessons gained from the loss are priceless, shaping who I am today. In the end, it is not what we lost, but rather, what we learned. I learned that nature’s punishments can be quite terrible due to human’s lack of appreciation for nature. The flood was a consequence of climate change and deforestation. Now, I believe that people will be more aware of protecting nature after the flooding. Although we cannot prepare ahead of time, we must confront unpredictable situations with courage.
