When I stepped outside to attempt to dig us out this past week, I was totally overwhelmed. As most of you would know, there was over two feet of snow staring me down. Long Island, especially the east end, got totally pummeled by one of the biggest blizzards in our history and here I am with one shovel, some snow drifts that were close to four feet tall, and a full day task in front of me.
My wife and I rent a small apartment on a circular block that I’ve heard people call a rotunda. It’s a really quiet block; everyone is busy living their lives and minding their own business. Sure, there’s the sporadic conversation or friendly wave as we’re hurrying off to our jobs and responsibilities. But we really don’t interact too much. Our landlord just turned eighty years old this October. We try our best to give her a hand with the chores around the house that she’s no longer able to do. Shoveling herself out of over two feet of snow would definitely be one of them. So again, here I am with one shovel and this mammoth task that I’m attempting to tackle alone. My wife does come out to help in intervals because I personally don’t like her outside for too long.
I figured I’d start on one specific part of the driveway that’s close to both the garage and our landlord’s front door. I could get this section done along with her front steps and walkway. Then possibly take a break and do another section a little later. The part of the driveway near the road and mailbox would definitely be last and the most difficult. Like I mentioned prior, there were drifts and piles there that had to be four feet tall.
About twenty minutes into my most likely two-day-long shoveling adventure, I heard a motor across the street kick on. Before this no one else was outside but me and my shovel. As I continued to work, the sound of the motor grew closer and closer. Until I realized it was the neighbor using his snowblower to dig the front of our driveway out for me, without my asking or even insinuating for some help. He completely cleared, with his snowblower, the entire front of the driveway and then started working on the rest. Easily saving me a full day’s worth of work with a shovel alone.
As he was almost finished and I was thanking him for such a kind, neighborly gesture, another neighbor down the block saw us working as he stormed down the block with a plow attached to his pickup truck. He slowed down, told us to step aside so he could push any remaining snow away from both of our driveways and mailboxes. Once he was finished, he threw out a friendly wave and drove off. Asking for nothing at all in return but a friendly wave back.
Even though our block is quiet and these aren’t guys that I speak to often, if at all. This reminded me of some old-time kindness between neighbors. Simply seeing a neighbor struggling or in need and helping to do something about it. Something to lessen another human’s burden.
If we didn’t have a storm this week, we’d all be just carrying on with our busy schedules and daily routines. Yet sometimes it takes a storm for other people to show some old-fashioned kindness to one another. This storm ended up being a blessing on my block.
