Snow. Snow. Snow.
Razzle-fratz.
All day yesterday the snow blew down and all day yesterday I shoveled it from our driveway and walkways, trying to keep up.
At one point I sloshed back into the house, threw off my coat, gloves, hat and shoes then limped back to our Cozy Room and told Tom, "We have got to (pant, pant) get out of here! In the old days (pant, pant) the snow didn't seem so bad because I had the spirit of a young pioneer woman. But now I just have the spirit of a tired old lady who's oh-so-sick of snow. Arghh."
But nice things can still happen in the snow, too.
This dark morning at 5:30 there I was with my long black wool coat thrown over my robe and nightgown attacking the four-foot high mountain at the end of our driveway so Tom could get out and drive to work. Make that a four-foot high frozen mountain. But breaking through appeared hopeless and I considered asking Tom to help, yet because of the eight herniated discs in his back (I told you he had five, but I forgot about the three others), I just kept shoveling.
But alas! Our neighbor two-doors-down started up his snow blower, made a pathway through his own snow mountain, came down the street and cleared our huge pile of frozen snow away. Grateful beyond words, I waved to him. That wasn't the first time he'd done that for us, either, and I really should send him a Christmas card and perhaps some cookies. He'd come at just the perfect time--I'd been considering just trudging back into the house and telling Tom he'd have to use our car's 4-wheel-drive-whatever to back-up over that frozen mountain out there. And good luck.
Probably to our neighbor, helping me this morning seemed like a tiny thing, but it felt huge to me. So much so, that I feel like helping anyone who needs encouragement today.
You never know how far an act of kindness will spread.
***
For a recent pay-it-forward Starbucks story, go here. Read to the end because there's a twist, one I found inspiring, indeed.
"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." .. II Corinthians 9:6
ah, take this negative and turn it into something positive! ooooh, i like that eversomuch.
ReplyDeletei've asked an extra blessing on your snow-blowing neighbor today!
Our hearts and minds are thinking alike. My post today says something similar about being a good neigbor. I'm so glad your neighbor helped you out...we live in Michigan and also have mountains of snow!
ReplyDeleteQuestion... Why haven't you gotten a snow blower,years ago?
ReplyDeleteNo, don't say you can't disturb the neighbors at all hours. For your husband getting to work, you can.
I'm so glad your neighbor was wonderful! I still worry about your own back though.
Mari-Nanci
Living in a parking lot the past nine winters, we were happy to note that our NEW driveway is off a side street and very short!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that first big snowfall. But, only if I have nowhere to go and can just LOOK at it.
Wow...what a great idea, to do the opposite of what that guy at Starbucks deserved! This time of year, I stay home so much as possible.
ReplyDeleteSure hope your neighbor will come to the rescue again when it is needed. Or hopefully someone at the apt. you are moving into will also take care of that for you. Ice is indeed hard to deal with!!
Elizabeth