That Summer

That Summer by Janis Crockett

Hate can take over your heart. It can consume you. But when you accept Christ and fill your heart with the joy of the Lord and love for others, you can finally let go of the hate.

Brent Lake, a determined young Black boy, entered a whole new world that summer when he worked on a farm doing manual labor. There, he met the owner, Astana La'Shore, a young White widow lady struggling to survive after losing her husband in the Vietnam War. In the beginning, they were both uncomfortable around each other. But they also had equally strong goals-Brent to earn money for college and Astana to turn her failing farm around. Together, they formed a bond and gained respect for each other. It was a difficult period of time filled with pain and anger because of the Vietnam War going on and the civil rights movement gaining new ground. That summer, Brent and Astana overcame many obstacles that once divided them. By the time summer ended, Astana was ready to fight for civil rights, and Brent was ready to gain an education to fight for civil rights in his own way. They were certain they would never meet again. But fate entered many years later when their paths crossed again, and that meeting opened a door to new discoveries.