Summertime, and the living is easy

Published 9:26 am Wednesday, July 23, 2025

By Bonnie Brown

Columnist

“Summertime, and the living is easy. Fish are jumping, and the cotton is high.”  These lyrics make summer sound so inviting, relaxing, and that everything is just as it should be.  However, this summer has been anything but for so many parts across the nation.  The devastating floods, fires, and tornadoes have not only taken the lives of so many people but have destroyed our peace of mind.  

Sure, we get those weather alerts, but we really don’t expect the rain to become a flood knocking down trees, washing away cars and homes.  And worse, killing people in its aftermath.    

And the lightning set in motion such destruction not only affecting residents but destroying many thousands of acres of our treasured national parks and recreation areas, leaving burn scars that will take a decade or more to repair.  The historic lodge at the Grand Canyon was among the many other structures and residences that have been lost.  Too sad to think of this being the result of random lightning strikes.   

We expect our summers to be filled with fun travel, beach time, camping, visits to parks and recreation areas.  We don’t expect to see the devastation that this summer has brought to unlikely locations.  The Guadeloupe River went from a small stream favoring rafting, fly fishing, and canoeing and lived up to its nickname of “flash flood alley” in a matter of hours. 

Weather experts tell us that the warmer air temperatures hold more water, thereby allowing for so much rainfall.  So many parts of the country have experienced significant unexpected rainfall.  You can’t control Mother Nature.  

Growing up, my family lived by two small creeks, complete with swimming holes and fishing.  I remember if our mother heard thunder up the creek, she would insist that we get away from the creeks even though the weather didn’t seem threatening at all.  More than once, the creeks would suddenly turn fierce with water filling the banks with strong currents and muddy water.  And we may or may not have rain to accompany the otherwise unexpected rise in the water levels.  

Even though it is summertime, the living has not been easy.  So many lives have been lost and likely some families will never have closure.  We have state and federal agencies whose job is to care for the people and properties when storms strike.  However, they have been woefully unprepared to address the enormous devastation of these summer storms and other disasters.  

I recall hearing from my brother and sister-in-law about the wind and flooding from Hurricane Helene which devastated North Carolina on September 27, 2024.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) seemed to be absent from the cleanup of Hurricane Helene.  Instead, there was a robust presence and assistance by Samaritan’s Purse who delivered generators, rebuilt fences, removed fallen trees and helped in many other ways including praying with the residents and presenting them with a Bible.  

We hear stories of volunteers who have descended on Texas to help with recovery and cleanup.  It is wonderful to see that total strangers are being embraced by people from all over.  

Summertime will soon end, and we will move into a new season, likely fraught with ice storms, record snow, and more of nature’s wrath.  What to do?  Let’s be good neighbors and respond to help as best we can.  Perhaps it will be us who need the helping hand.