The world has ended and the quiet is beautiful.
While the world has not ACTUALLY ended, you might think so while looking out our front window. A week ago, we all woke to a city that had been painted white with snow while we slept peacefully in our beds. That first morning, it seemed that the whole city was enjoying the snow day. I saw countless snowmen being built and walks being shoveled. Everyone I saw was smiling and would wave as I passed by.
That was a week ago...It seems the smiles have gone as the snow kept coming. It seems the snow that only a week ago made people so happy has now turned them into cranky pants! Not just cranky pants but cranky pants that are piss poor drivers. This has happened all over the city. Except for one place...
That place is our street. Looking out our front windows, the world is peaceful and happy. The snow is still bright white, and not the awful brown sludge that comes with the sanding of the roads. The streets in our neighborhood have yet to be plowed so it feels like we are living in a snow globe. There are foot high frozen ruts along the street so people don't even bother to drive if they don't have to. People have forsaken their cars only to rediscover the joy of walking. People actually stop and talk to each other now and even help each other shovel their walks or push their cars out of snow berms.
A part of me cannot help but think that THIS is how we are meant to live...more connected to those around us. Our cars have driven us all apart, we have so few opportunities to "bumb" into people these days because we are always in our cars. It's night like tonight that make wish $20 a gallon gas would hurry up and get here...
What does your neighborhood look like this evening? How about in the still morning air?
painted with snow
1 comment:
I have thought for a long time that a lot of what has destroyed so many familys today is the fact that so many have moved away to other cities or states.
Back when familys stayed in the same area they were closer. They relied on each other more and were able to share the good and the bad times more easily.
Now time and distance has pulled so many all apart. It has happened in my family I know. I was in Florida year round, my mom was in Texas for the winters and my brother was back here in Illinois basically alone with only his friends and later his wife and her family. It was one thing that put a rift in our family that maybe time will heal I don't know.
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