When disaster strikes — be it a natural disaster or a manmade one — our community pulls together to help one another without question.

Many times, our community remains divided by race, economic status, political party, municipal boundaries, etc.

Those divisions quickly melt away when true tragedies occur.

Early Sunday morning when the weather turned violent, knocking over trees and tearing at rooftops, Natchez and Adams County were one.

Even the mightiest river in the country and a state border melted away. Vidalia and Natchez became one, too.

When the storm cleared, Vidalia church members drove to the damage in Adams County.

Neighbors helped neighbors and a spirit of cooperation and “we’re going to help one another” permeated the affected portions of the community.

The feeling, as people close to the disaster said, was impressive and heart-warming.

Adams County Emergency Management Director Robert Bradford suggested on Monday, “Maybe we need to be in tragedy mode all the time so we can get on the same page and come together as a community …”

We agree with his suggestion.

In years past, we can recall when the community came together in a similar way. The great flood of 2011, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Sept. 11, 2001, come to mind as good examples.

We know we’re all capable when disaster strikes, but we must all commit to work on our ability to cooperate and coordinate with each other when the sun is shining and only our petty differences cast shadows on our success.