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July 11, 2025
Spread Love
By Mikie Baker
The Bandera Prophet
There isn’t anything to laugh about this week. I have no funny in me. When a tragedy unfolds right in front of your eyes, laughter goes out the window. Luckily, love comes in the front door even if you don’t have a home right now.
Many others have done a much better job than I could ever do keeping us updated with the historic Hill Country flood which will be etched into our hearts forever. Yes, I know we are all praying, volunteering and donating to the best of our abilities.
But there is something more each of us can do.
Personally, I know the loss of a loved one in an instant. On a bright, sunny May morning I told my 46-year-old husband I loved him and kissed him goodbye. Hours later he died suddenly of a massive heart attack and my world was turned upside in an instant.
How bad is this type of loss, really? All I know is that shock takes over and you go through the motions surrounded by family and friends who somehow manage to help you manage the hard days of which there are many. What can such a shock do to someone? It took me six weeks before I could even make a peanut butter sandwich for the Teenage Eating Machine’s lunch. Gathering peanut butter, jelly, bread, a knife and a sandwich bag took me 10 minutes. Any mother out there knows the task is normally mindless and only takes a minute.
Shock shows up in aching soul by a look in their eyes that only others who have been through such a shock see. It comes right from the soul and shows the world through dead looking eyes.
I ventured out the other day to get some groceries in Kerrville and as soon as I walked into the store, I could see a look of shock on everyone’s faces as we all have had to face an incredible disaster right in our beautiful Hill Country. But it still wasn’t that dead look that those who have lost a loved one have in their eyes.
Many need help, supplies and surely counseling whether it’s a victim’s family or a first responder who is dealing with the search. I know everyone is praying, volunteering and staying strong so I’m not asking that of you.
No, I want you to make a new friend. I don’t care where you live, here or somewhere in Tennessee. We need a real swell of love just for people. Forget politics, old grievances or skin color. As a nation, making a new friend who’s not in need is just as important as all the help we have received in the Hill Country.
Go to the grocery store. Chat up someone on the pet aisle about how we spoil our pets. Compliment a stranger on their hat. Buy someone else’s dinner and introduce yourself. Be kind. Be full of love. You never know what they’ve been through in their life either.
We are in this world together and maybe the best thing to come out of such a tragic event is to turn our love outward to those we’ve never met. You might make a new friend or at least you will have made someone’s day. This world could use much more of that.
My mission this week is to find something funny to write about next week because, by then, I bet we will all need a laugh to open the door for a little joy to walk right through.
Many others have done a much better job than I could ever do keeping us updated with the historic Hill Country flood which will be etched into our hearts forever. Yes, I know we are all praying, volunteering and donating to the best of our abilities.
But there is something more each of us can do.
Personally, I know the loss of a loved one in an instant. On a bright, sunny May morning I told my 46-year-old husband I loved him and kissed him goodbye. Hours later he died suddenly of a massive heart attack and my world was turned upside in an instant.
How bad is this type of loss, really? All I know is that shock takes over and you go through the motions surrounded by family and friends who somehow manage to help you manage the hard days of which there are many. What can such a shock do to someone? It took me six weeks before I could even make a peanut butter sandwich for the Teenage Eating Machine’s lunch. Gathering peanut butter, jelly, bread, a knife and a sandwich bag took me 10 minutes. Any mother out there knows the task is normally mindless and only takes a minute.
Shock shows up in aching soul by a look in their eyes that only others who have been through such a shock see. It comes right from the soul and shows the world through dead looking eyes.
I ventured out the other day to get some groceries in Kerrville and as soon as I walked into the store, I could see a look of shock on everyone’s faces as we all have had to face an incredible disaster right in our beautiful Hill Country. But it still wasn’t that dead look that those who have lost a loved one have in their eyes.
Many need help, supplies and surely counseling whether it’s a victim’s family or a first responder who is dealing with the search. I know everyone is praying, volunteering and staying strong so I’m not asking that of you.
No, I want you to make a new friend. I don’t care where you live, here or somewhere in Tennessee. We need a real swell of love just for people. Forget politics, old grievances or skin color. As a nation, making a new friend who’s not in need is just as important as all the help we have received in the Hill Country.
Go to the grocery store. Chat up someone on the pet aisle about how we spoil our pets. Compliment a stranger on their hat. Buy someone else’s dinner and introduce yourself. Be kind. Be full of love. You never know what they’ve been through in their life either.
We are in this world together and maybe the best thing to come out of such a tragic event is to turn our love outward to those we’ve never met. You might make a new friend or at least you will have made someone’s day. This world could use much more of that.
My mission this week is to find something funny to write about next week because, by then, I bet we will all need a laugh to open the door for a little joy to walk right through.