RIVER CANEY
BY WALLACE CALEB BATES
Tonight, I sat in a rocking foldable chair in a field at River Caney and watched one of the most breathtaking fireworks displays I have ever witnessed.
There were no stadium lights, no loudspeakers, and no city skyline in the distance. Just the hush of an old mountain holler, the sounds of neighbors catching up, and the sudden, brilliant burst of light across a night sky that felt both sacred and alive.
River Caney is not a place one passes through quickly. It asks for your attention, your stillness, and your respect. In July 2022, this same community was devastated by historic flooding. Water tore through these hills and hollers, taking with it homes, livelihoods, and the lives of neighbors. What was not taken, though, was the spirit of the people who live there.
That spirit was alive tonight. You could feel it in the way folks parked in every available spot to see the show. You could hear it in the laughter of children who never stopped asking, "When is the next one?" You could see it in the eyes of families who have rebuilt not just their houses, but their hope.
The fireworks themselves were spectacular, with layers of color, rhythm, and reverberation. They were set off with precision, each one building upon the last like verses in a melody, but what made them extraordinary was not just the sight or the sound: it was the meaning. Every flare in the sky felt like a tribute to what River Caney has endured and what it still dares to dream.
This was not just a show; it was a reminder that beauty can return, that community can hold, and that even after the darkest flood, the light still lingers. And tonight, that light danced across the hills of River Caney.
Tonight, I sat in a rocking foldable chair in a field at River Caney and watched one of the most breathtaking fireworks displays I have ever witnessed.
There were no stadium lights, no loudspeakers, and no city skyline in the distance. Just the hush of an old mountain holler, the sounds of neighbors catching up, and the sudden, brilliant burst of light across a night sky that felt both sacred and alive.
River Caney is not a place one passes through quickly. It asks for your attention, your stillness, and your respect. In July 2022, this same community was devastated by historic flooding. Water tore through these hills and hollers, taking with it homes, livelihoods, and the lives of neighbors. What was not taken, though, was the spirit of the people who live there.
That spirit was alive tonight. You could feel it in the way folks parked in every available spot to see the show. You could hear it in the laughter of children who never stopped asking, "When is the next one?" You could see it in the eyes of families who have rebuilt not just their houses, but their hope.
The fireworks themselves were spectacular, with layers of color, rhythm, and reverberation. They were set off with precision, each one building upon the last like verses in a melody, but what made them extraordinary was not just the sight or the sound: it was the meaning. Every flare in the sky felt like a tribute to what River Caney has endured and what it still dares to dream.
This was not just a show; it was a reminder that beauty can return, that community can hold, and that even after the darkest flood, the light still lingers. And tonight, that light danced across the hills of River Caney.