Small Talk

When the floodwaters rose, lives changed forever. When they fell, we were left to rebuild — hearts, homes, and hope. When the water goes still, how do those who are still here face the aftermath?🌊Whether you are a Texan affected by the Hill Country Floods on July 4th, 2025, or you're any other human--who has, and/or will one day face trauma and grief--may this message give a voice to what your soul goes through, while also reminding us of the hope and strength that exists when we come together in the "after" of life's hardest moments.Ways to Support Survivors:How to Help Texas Flood Victims and Survivors (Team Rubicon resource list):https://teamrubiconusa.org/news-and-stories/how-to-help-texas-flood-victims-and-survivors/Heavens27.org: This foundation supports causes the girls cared about in each of their communities to ensure their legacies live on.https://www.heavens27.org/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPNDM3NjI2MzE2OTczNzg4AAEeYXKXXPAYHpn1j4t-bS_VKIjMGwSG_VYiZ-7CEXW1FfJG3sgo3Pe-nIDZkw8_aem_QCFd0NuTs_F-t7QkbFuH8gThe Bug and Bee Fund at Creel Family Philanthropies: All donations will go towards counseling, books, resources, and supportive therapy services for families affected by the tragic Hill Country floods.https://linktr.ee/creelfamilyphilanthropies?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bioResources for SurvivorsIf you or someone you care about was directly affected by the July 4th floods, my heart is with you. If you need local support — emotional, mental, or practical — please see the list below, and consider reaching out to community partners, crisis teams, or faith groups in your area.No one should have to navigate this alone.United Way of Texas: Texas Flooding Resources:https://www.uwtexas.org/crisis-management-resources2-1-1 Texas: Comprehensive List of Texas Resources: https://www.211texas.org/National Alliance on Mental Illness: Mental Health Resources for those affected by the Texas floods:https://www.nami.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2025.7.7-Trauma-Resources-Texas-Flooding.pdfTexas Legal Services Center: Legal aid resources for Texas flood victims:https://www.tlsc.org/post/legal-aid-resources-for-texas-flood-survivorsKerrtogether: Kerrville Area Local Resources:https://kerrtogether.com/i-need-help© 2025 John Lewis. This piece may be shared in full for community support, remembrance, or relief efforts. Do not alter or reproduce without written permission. Please credit the author.

If you have ever lost someone close to you, I hope that this production can give some words to the indescribable experience of loss and grief. This is the statement I prepared for the sentencing hearing of the young man whose actions took the life of someone very special.

Polyphony /puh · LIFF · uh · NEE/ (n.): a style of musical composition employing two or more simultaneous but relatively independent melodic lines (Webster dictionary). This, I have found, is the complexity of grief and the healing journey that can accompany it.