Here’s a recap of July 2025. Captivations is a monthly post with links, stories, and news that captivated me.
July Recap
This July in Austin, Texas will be remembered for the devastating floods in Kerrville, Georgetown, and surrounding areas. Within several hours, the Guadalupe River rose 35 feet, causing widespread destruction to homes and camps along the river. Most notably, Camp Mystic, a girls’ camp, lost 27 campers and counselors, and many of the campers were 8 or 9 years old. Loss is always hard to comprehend, but there’s even bigger heartache when it comes to children. The hows and whys may never be answered, and I’m praying the final missing are found and the survivors and family are surrounded by love and generosity.
Aaron Parsley and his family were in their family river house when the flood came. His account of what happened will break your heart.
In my own life, July was a little brighter. Friends came to visit from out of town, we had our annual summer friend pool party, and we took a stress and rescue scuba diving class to further our skills. Overall, a memorable month.
Special Interests
Life Lessons
These monthly Captivations posts have largely been my way of sharing life tips I’ve found. This is a good list of 7 life lessons from Becoming Minimalist. The most meaningful to me right now is #5: “We don’t drift into purpose—we walk there deliberately.”
Building Community
Community has been on my mind a lot. It’s been one of my goals for the last few years. This article by Nadia Meli shows the connections between community and capitalism. The article aims to broaden your perspective on community, from casual friends to people you can call on for whatever you need.
Andrea Gibson
Poet and activist Andrea Gibson passed this month after living with ovarian cancer. I hadn’t heard of her before her passing, but I’ve since listened to her speak and read her poems and feel the loss of someone who shared her immense love and insight with the world. I’m looking forward to reading her books. Here are a few links to get to know Andrea:
Speaking of Heroes
Here are some people doing cool things:
- This dad will teach you all the things you need to know
- Maggie Doyne moved to Nepal as a young adult and became the guardian to over 50 orphaned children
- Shark Whisperer is a new documentary on Netflix sharing marine conservationist Ocean Ramsey’s mission to save the sharks
Underrated UNESCO Sites
You’ve heard of the most popular UNESCO sites – Great Wall, Taj Mahal, and Yosemite National Park. But of the 1,248 sites, some of the most underrated are waiting for you to visit.
How to Care
Not sure what to do? Show that you care. This article describes 5 ways to advocate for change.
Asking Magical Questions
If you want to create dynamic conversations, try asking magical questions. These help you get to know someone or take the conversation deeper. Some examples from this article include:
- What’s a gift you got that you deeply loved?
- What are three gifts you would give aliens on behalf of humanity?
- When was the last time you used glitter?
- What was the first concert you went to, and who took you?
5 Things I Love Lately
- Good matcha
- The Summer I Turned Pretty – Season 3 is happening now
- Baking cookies
- Frozen drinks
- Stained glass
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