By Mike Kelley

Just the other day I heard someone say, “I wish we could get some relief from all the rain.” I heard myself agreeing with him, but then I remembered promising myself a couple of years ago that I would not complain about the rain ever again.

I’m sure you remember Chilton County and much of Alabama was in the grips of a severe drought a couple of years ago. The lack of rain had an impact on crops, lawns and tourism.

While Lake Mitchell and Lay Lake remained only slightly below full pool during the drought, other Alabama lakes did not fare as well. I have a house on Lake Martin (part of the Tallapoosa River System) 45 miles east of here, and during the worst of the drought Lake Martin was several feet below its normal water level.

The low water level made boating on the 750-mile lake dangerous for infrequent visitors to the lake. The drought dried up not only the lake but also the tourism that played a major role in the economy of that area of Alabama.

I remember praying for and hearing others pray for rain. When the rains finally returned, many of us actually took time to watch it rain like it was entertaining and gave thanks every time we heard the thunder of an approaching storm.

Now, a couple of years later, we are hearing how excessive rainfall caused flooding in areas of Shelby and Jefferson counties Thursday night. The weather forecast calls for more thunderstorms for the next several days, and I have found myself wishing for a few days of sunshine.

I guess it is true. When it comes to the weather, it is hard for Mother Nature to please everyone. When we have ample rain, we longed for drier days, and when we are in a drought, we pray for rain.

Maybe I will reach a point in life where I understand there is no use in complaining about current weather conditions. There is very little I can do about it other than complain.

I was planning to go fishing this weekend, but the forecast indicates I might be smarter and drier to stay indoors and watch the Alabama and Auburn football games.

– Mike Kelley is publisher of The North Chilton Advertiser. You can reach him at mike.kelley@northchiltonadvertiser.com.