Kindness Is Community

Monday, February 11, 2019

Our outside temperature was 16 degrees. I zipped a heavy jacket while hearing my dogs bark, noisily and nonstopping, probably at deer passing through. Upon stepping outside, I heard a snowblower’s motor and exiting the garage saw what was agitating the dogs. My neighbor, Frank, was behind his machine and moving slowly up my long driveway, plowing through four or five inches of snow, to clear the accumulation!

At the top, Frank circled, his machine spewing snow in a sky-high arch, and passed me with a quick wave before heading back down the driveway, already partially cleared, and now, looking easier for me to leave for work tomorrow.

My mind flashed to another area of snow. With my barn located downhill from the house, I must walk down to feed horses, and afterward, walk up. My knee, with a recent and sometimes painful “meniscus tear”, makes it difficult for me to push through deep snow. Watching Frank inspired me to remember the snowblower housed in my barn. Could it clear a path to ease my travel between house and barn?

This snowblower hadn’t been started for two years, but at least, I had installed tire chains. Now, I added gasoline, the electric starter did its job, and those tire chains made uphill-going easy. Atop my brand new path, and hearing a competing motor, I looked around. This neighborhood’s newest resident, John, was driving a small farm vehicle and plowing snow from the ‘hood’s street. I couldn’t photograph John’s rig but waved a big “Thank you!”, and today will drop a note in his mailbox.

I returned that snowblower to the barn before strolling easily uphill and while approaching my garage admired the cleared driveway and community road. After years on this small country acreage, and with large animals, I’m incredibly grateful for my generous neighbors and friends. Their contributions in so many ways often make routine activities safer and more easily do-able.

Dear Readers, have a wonderful day! Diana