Walking through my neighborhood as it gradually comes back to life from last week’s storm-induced slumber, I recall a time when I harshly judged anyone who didn’t clear their sidewalk after a big snow. Now, I try to take a kinder view and consider the countless possible reasons it didn’t happen – perhaps the homeowner is elderly or disabled and without the means to rally help; maybe they are renters with negligent landlords; maybe they were out of town enjoying an unplugged vacation and didn’t even know there had been a storm; maybe they tried, only to have a snowplow come by and undo all their efforts.

Instead of directing my energy and awareness toward the wrongness of what I see, I am focusing more on what is right, and then harnessing that energy to fuel compassion and inspiration to do what I can to chip away at the wrongs, much as so many of us have been chipping away at the ice after last week’s storm.

This morning, I marveled at a clean-cut tunnel from street to sidewalk. This is a corner adjacent to a park, not directly in front of anyone's home. It suggests that a good neighbor harnessed some generosity and muscle, taking shovel to icepack and making their corner of the world just a little bit clearer, kinder, and easier to tread. I believe this is how we get through the storms of our time.

With love,
Annie Moyer